Automated systems, devices, and methods for transporting and supporting patients

ABSTRACT

Systems, devices, and methods are described for moving a patient to and from various locations, care units, etc., within a care facility. For example a transport and support vehicle includes a body structure including a plurality of rotatable members operable to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and to move the vehicle along the travel path, and a surface structured and dimensioned to support an individual subject. A transport and support vehicle can include, for example, an imager operably coupled to one or more of a power source, a steering assembly, one or more of the plurality of rotatable members, etc., and having one or more modules operable to control the power source, steering assembly, one or more of the plurality of rotatable members, etc., so as to maintain an authorized operator in the image zone.

If an Application Data Sheet (ADS) has been filed on the filing date ofthis application, it is incorporated by reference herein. Anyapplications claimed on the ADS for priority under 35 U.S.C. §§ 119,120, 121, or 365(c), and any and all parent, grandparent,great-grandparent, etc. applications of such applications, are alsoincorporated by reference, including any priority claims made in thoseapplications and any material incorporated by reference, to the extentsuch subject matter is not inconsistent herewith.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and/or claims the benefit of theearliest available effective filing date(s) from the following listedapplication(s) (the “Priority applications”), if any, listed below(e.g., claims earliest available priority dates for other thanprovisional patent applications or claims benefits under 35 USC § 119(e)for provisional patent applications, for any and all parent,grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Priorityapplication(s)). In addition, the present application is related to the“Related Applications,” if any, listed below.

PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

None

RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to theeffect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent applicantsreference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is acontinuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTOOfficial Gazette Mar. 18, 2003. The USPTO further has provided forms forthe Application Data Sheet which allow automatic loading ofbibliographic data but which require identification of each applicationas a continuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. The present Applicant Entity (hereinafter “Applicant”) hasprovided above a specific reference to the application(s) from whichpriority is being claimed as recited by statute. Applicant understandsthat the statute is unambiguous in its specific reference language anddoes not require either a serial number or any characterization, such as“continuation” or “continuation-in-part,” for claiming priority to U.S.patent applications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicantunderstands that the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entryrequirements, and hence Applicant has provided designation(s) of arelationship between the present application and its parentapplication(s) as set forth above and in any ADS filed in thisapplication, but expressly points out that such designation(s) are notto be construed in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission asto whether or not the present application contains any new matter inaddition to the matter of its parent application(s).

If the listings of applications provided above are inconsistent with thelistings provided via an ADS, it is the intent of the Applicant to claimpriority to each application that appears in the Priority Applicationssection of the ADS and to each application that appears in the PriorityApplications section of this application.

All subject matter of the Priority Applications and the RelatedApplications and of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of the Priority Applications and the RelatedApplications, including any priority claims, is incorporated herein byreference to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistentherewith.

SUMMARY

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a vehicle for transporting an individual subject. In an embodiment, thevehicle includes a body structure including a plurality of rotatablemembers operable to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel pathand to move the vehicle along the travel path, and a surface structuredand dimensioned to support an individual subject. In an embodiment, thevehicle includes a steering assembly operably coupled to at least one ofthe rotatable members. In an embodiment, the vehicle includes a powersource operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of rotatablemembers and configured to rotate at least one of the plurality ofrotatable members. In an embodiment, the vehicle includes an imageroperable to image a person within an image zone, and a verificationmodule for determining whether the person in the image zone is anauthorized operator of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the imager isoperably coupled to the power source and the body structure, the imagerincluding one or more modules having circuitry operable to control thepower source and steering assembly so as to maintain the authorizedoperator in the image zone.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled operator-guided bed. In an embodiment, theself-propelled operator-guided bed includes an operator-authorizationdevice having a communication interface that acquires operator-guideverification information from an identification device associated withan operator-guide. In an embodiment, the operator-authorization deviceincludes one or more tracking sensors operable to track one or morelocations of the identification device. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device includes one or more tracking sensorsoperable to track information associated with the operator-guide and theidentification device carried by, worn by, affixed to the operator, orthe like. In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guided bedincludes a bedframe structure (e.g., a bed, a bedframe, a steerable bed,a steerable bedframe, and the like) having a surface configured (e.g.,arranged, adapted, constructed, dimensioned, sized, structured, havingstructures, etc.) to support a patient.

In an embodiment, the bedframe structure is operably coupled to atransport assembly having a plurality of rotatable members operable tofrictionally interface the self-propelled operator-guided bed to atravel path and to move the self-propelled operator-guided bed along thetravel path. In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guided bedincludes a steering assembly operable to vary a steering angle, anorientation, a velocity, etc., of at least one of the plurality ofrotatable members. In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guidedbed includes a powertrain having a power source, motor, transmission,drive shafts, differentials, a final drive etc., for driving one or moreof the plurality of rotatable members. In an embodiment, theself-propelled operator-guided bed includes a navigation controlleroperably coupled to the operator-authorization device and the bedframestructure. In an embodiment, the navigation controller includes a modulehaving circuitry operable to provide a control signal to navigate thebedframe structure along a travel path based on one or more detectedlocations of the identification device.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a vehicle for transporting an individual subject. In an embodiment, thevehicle includes a body structure, an operator-authorization device, andan imager. In an embodiment, the body structure includes a surface sodimensioned, configured, and arranged to be adapted to support anindividual subject, and a plurality of rotatable members operable tofrictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and to move thevehicle along the travel path. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device includes an input interface operable toacquire verification information associated with an operator (e.g., aguide, a human operator, an operator, or the like), the operator beingdifferent from the individual subject. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device includes a verification module fordetermining whether the operator is an authorized operator. In anembodiment, the imager includes one or more modules having circuitry foroperably coupling the imager to at least one of the power source and thesteering assembly, and for operating the power source and steeringassembly so as to maintain the authorized operator in the image zonebased on one or more inputs from the imager. In an embodiment, thevehicle includes a power source operably coupled to one or more of theplurality of rotatable members.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle system. In an embodiment, theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle system includes one or moreself-propelled operator-guided vehicles, each including a bedframestructure having a surface configured to support a patient. In anembodiment, the bedframe structure includes a transport assembly havinga plurality of rotatable members operable to frictionally interface thevehicle to a travel path and to move the vehicle along the travel path.In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle systemincludes a navigation system configured to vary one or more ofpropulsion, braking, or steering angle of at least one of the pluralityof rotatable members.

In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle systemincludes an operator-authorization device operably coupled to thetransport assembly and having one or more sensors and a communicationinterface. In an embodiment, the one or more sensors are operable todetect an operator-guide identification device associated with anoperator-guide. In an embodiment, the communication interface isconfigured to acquire operator-guide verification information from theoperator-guide identification device. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device is configured to acquire informationindicative of at least one of an operator-guide authorization status, anoperator-guide location, an operator-guide identity, an operator-guidereference physical movement, access status, and the like. In anembodiment, the operator-authorization device is configured to generateone or more control commands for causing the transport assembly tomaintaining the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle at a targetseparation from the authorized operator-guide identification device,based on the at least one of the operator-guide authorization status,the operator-guide identity, and the operator-guide reference physicalmovement information.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,an article of manufacture including a non-transitory signal-bearingmedium bearing one or more instructions for causing a system, computingdevice, processor, etc., to detect an operator-guide identificationdevice associated with operator-guide. In an embodiment, the article ofmanufacture includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing oneor more instructions for causing a system, computing device, processor,etc., to acquire operator-guide verification information from theoperator-guide identification device. In an embodiment, theoperator-guide verification information to be acquired includesinformation indicative of at least one of an operator-guideauthorization status, an operator-guide identity, and an operator-guidereference guidance information. In an embodiment, the article ofmanufacture includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing oneor more instructions for causing a system, computing device, processor,etc., to generate one or more control commands for maintaining aself-propelled operator-guided vehicle at target separation from theoperator-guide identification device. In an embodiment, the article ofmanufacture includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing oneor more instructions for causing a system, computing device, processor,etc., to detect a location of the operator-guide identification deviceassociated with the operator-guide. In an embodiment, the article ofmanufacture includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing oneor more instructions for causing a system, computing device, processor,etc., to generate one or more control commands for maintaining theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle at a target separation from theoperator-guide identification device responsive to a change of locationof the operator-guide identification device relative to theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle for transporting and supportingat least one individual subject. In an embodiment, the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle includes an operator-authorization device havingone or more image sensors. In an embodiment, the one or more imagesensors are operable to acquire image information of an operator withinan operator-guide zone. In an embodiment, the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle includes a verification module for determiningwhether the operator is an authorized operator based on the imageinformation. In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guidedvehicle includes a bedframe structure having a surface configured tosupport an individual subject, and a transport assembly having aplurality of rotatable members operable to frictionally interface aself-propelled operator-guided vehicle to a travel path and to move thevehicle along the travel path. In an embodiment, the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle includes a steering assembly operable to vary asteering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., of at least one of theplurality of rotatable members.

In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle includes apower source and a motor for driving one or more of the plurality ofrotatable members. In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guidedvehicle includes an operator-guided vehicle navigation controlleroperably coupled to at least one of the operator-authorization device,the steering assembly, the power source, and the motor. In anembodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller includes acontrol command module operable to determine physical movementinformation from the image information. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller includes a control commandmodule operable to map one or more detected physical movements of theauthorized operator within the operator-guide zone to at least one inputcorrelated with one or more navigation control commands for controllingthe self-propelled operator-guided vehicle, based on the physicalmovement information.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,an article of manufacture including a non-transitory signal-bearingmedium bearing one or more instructions for acquiring physical movementimage information of an operator within an operator-guide zone. In anembodiment, the article of manufacture includes a non-transitorysignal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructions for determiningoperator-guide verification information for the operator within theoperator-guide zone based on the physical movement image information. Inan embodiment, the article of manufacture includes a non-transitorysignal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructions for mapping oneor more detected physical movements of the operator within theoperator-guide zone to at least one input correlated with one or morenavigation control commands for controlling a self-propelledoperator-guided bed.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled hospital bed navigation control system including anoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller includes one or moresensors operable to detect at least one operator within anoperator-guide zone associated with a self-propelled operator-guidedhospital bed. In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guidedhospital bed includes a bedframe structure having a surface configuredto support an individual subject. In an embodiment, the self-propelledoperator-guided hospital bed includes a plurality of rotatable membersoperable to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and tomove the vehicle along the travel path. In an embodiment, theself-propelled operator-guided hospital bed includes a steering assemblyoperable to vary a steering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., ofat least one of the plurality of rotatable members. In an embodiment,the self-propelled operator-guided hospital bed includes a power sourceand a motor for driving one or more of the plurality of rotatablemembers. In an embodiment, the self-propelled hospital bed navigationcontrol system includes an operator movement mapping module operablycoupled to the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller and to atleast one of the plurality of rotatable members, the power source, andthe motor.

In an embodiment, the operator movement mapping module is configured tomap one or more detected physical movements of the operator within theoperator-guide zone to at least one input correlated with one or morenavigation control commands for controlling the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle. In an embodiment, the operator movement mappingmodule is configured to generate a control signal to at least one of theplurality of rotatable members, the power source, a braking mechanism,and the motor to navigate the self-propelled operator-guided vehiclebased on the one or more navigation control commands.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled hospital bed including an operator-guided vehiclenavigation controller having an audio-activated control module operableto receive an audio input. In an embodiment, the self-propelled hospitalbed includes a bedframe structure operably coupled to theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller. In an embodiment, thebedframe structure includes a surface configured to support anindividual subject, and a plurality of rotatable members operable tofrictionally interface the self-propelled hospital bed to a travel pathand to move the vehicle along the travel path. In an embodiment, theself-propelled hospital bed includes a bedframe structure having asteering assembly operable to vary a steering angle, an orientation, avelocity, etc., of at least one of the plurality of rotatable members.In an embodiment, the self-propelled hospital bed includes a bedframestructure having a power source, and a motor for driving one or more ofthe plurality of rotatable members. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller includes an audio inputmapping module having circuitry operable to correlate an audio input toat least one navigation control command for controlling at least one ofpropulsion, braking, and steering of the self-propelled hospital bed.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled hospital bed controller system, including anoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller includes anaudio-activated control module having one or more transducers operableto receive an audio input. In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehiclenavigation controller includes an audio input mapping module havingcircuitry operable to correlate an audio input to at least onenavigation control command for controlling at least one of propulsion,braking, and steering of the self-propelled hospital bed. In anembodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller includes aspeech recognition control module operable to receive speech input. Inan embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controllerincludes a voice control module operable to receive a voice input.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled, operator-guided vehicle for transporting andsupporting at least one individual subject including an operator-guideverification and navigation controller having one or more sensorsoperable to acquire at least one digital image of an operator within anoperator-guide zone. In an embodiment, the self-propelled hospital bedincludes an operator-guide verification operably coupled to a navigationcontroller. In an embodiment, navigation controller includes one or moremodules having circuitry operable to control a power source, a steeringassembly, or the like so as to maintain the self-propelled hospital bedalong a travel route.

In an embodiment, the body structure includes a surface configured tosupport an individual subject, the body structure including at leastthree wheels and a steering assembly. In an embodiment, theself-propelled hospital bed includes a power source operably coupled toone or more of the at least three wheels. In an embodiment, theoperator-guide verification and navigation controller includes a modulehaving circuitry operable to map one or more detected physical movementsof the operator within the operator-guide zone, and imaged in the atleast one digital image, to at least one input correlated with one ormore navigation control commands for controlling the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle control system including anoperator-authorization device having one or more sensors operable todetect one or more physical movements of the operator within theoperator-guide zone. In an embodiment, the operator-authorization deviceis operably coupled to one or more sensors and configured to detect alocation of the operator within the operator-guide zone.

In an embodiment, the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle controlsystem includes a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle navigationcontroller having circuitry operable to provide a control signal to mapthe one or more detected physical movements of the operator within theoperator-guide zone to at least one input correlated with one or morenavigation control commands for controlling the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle. In an embodiment, the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller includes circuitryoperable to navigate a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle based onthe one or more navigation control commands.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle capable of transporting andsupporting at least one person and operable to identify, follow,monitor, etc., an operator within an operator-guide zone using real-timeautomatic image recognition. In an embodiment, the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle is operably coupled to a real-time objectrecognition device. In an embodiment, the real-time object recognitiondevice is configured to identify groups of pixels indicative of one ormore physical movements associated with an operator within anoperator-guide zone imaged in the at least one digital image. In anembodiment, the real-time object recognition device is configured togenerate one or more connected components of a graph representative ofgroups of pixels indicative of the one or more physical movementsassociated with the operator imaged in the at least one digital image.In an embodiment, the real-time object recognition device is configuredto correlate the one or more connected components of the graph to atleast one input associated with one or more navigation control commandsfor controlling the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-guided, patient support and transport vehicle including aself-guided-vehicle navigation controller. In an embodiment, theself-guided-vehicle navigation controller includes aroute-to-destination control module having circuitry operable togenerate route-to-destination information based on one or more patientverification inputs. In an embodiment, the self-guided patient-supportand transport vehicle includes a body structure including a surfaceconfigured to support an individual, a transport assembly, a steeringassembly, a power source, and a motor. In an embodiment, the transportassembly includes a plurality of rotatable members operable tofrictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and to move thevehicle along the travel path. In an embodiment, the steering assemblyis configured to vary a steering angle, an orientation, a velocity,etc., of at least one of the plurality of rotatable members. In anembodiment, the motor is operable to drive one or more of the pluralityof rotatable members. In an embodiment, the self-guided patient-supportand transport vehicle navigation controller is operably coupled to atleast one of the plurality of rotatable members, the power source, andthe motor, and configured to generate one or more control commands fornavigating the self-guided patient-support and transport vehicle to atleast a first target location along a travel route based on theroute-to-destination information.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a self-guided patient-support and transport system including one or moreself-propelled patient-support and transport vehicles. In an embodiment,each self-propelled patient-support and transport vehicle includes aself-guided-vehicle navigation controller configured to determineposition, velocity, acceleration, bearing, direction, rate-of-change ofbearing, rate-of-change of direction, etc., of the self-guidedpatient-support and transport vehicle. In an embodiment, eachself-propelled patient-support and transport vehicle includes aself-guided-vehicle navigation controller configured to generateself-guided patient-support and transport vehicle status informationbased on at least one of a determined position, velocity, acceleration,bearing, direction, rate-of-change of bearing, rate-of-change ofdirection, etc., of the self-guided patient-support and transportvehicle. In an embodiment, each self-propelled patient-support andtransport vehicle includes a self-guided-vehicle navigation controllerconfigured to generate route-to-destination information based on one ormore target location inputs and the self-guided patient-support andtransport vehicle status information. In an embodiment, eachself-propelled patient-support and transport vehicle includes aself-guided-vehicle navigation controller configured to generate one ormore control commands for automatically navigating the self-guidedpatient-support and transport vehicle to a second position along atravel route based on the route-to-destination information.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,an article of manufacture including a non-transitory signal-bearingmedium bearing one or more instructions that cause a system, computingdevice, processor, etc., to determine a position, velocity,acceleration, bearing, direction, rate-of-change of bearing,rate-of-change of direction, etc., of a self-guided hospital bed. In anembodiment, the article of manufacture includes a non-transitorysignal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructions for generatingself-guided hospital bed status information. In an embodiment, thearticle of manufacture includes a non-transitory signal-bearing mediumbearing one or more instructions for generating route-to-destinationinformation based on one or more target location inputs and theself-guided hospital bed status information.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a remotely guided, omnidirectional, self-propelled patient-supportvehicle including a vehicle navigation controller having a communicationmodule. In an embodiment, the communication module includes at least oneof a receiver, a transmitter, and a transceiver operable to communicatewith a remote navigation network and to receive control commandinformation (e.g., route-to-destination data, navigation data, locationbased control commands, etc.) from the remote navigation network. In anembodiment, a remotely guided, omnidirectional, self-propelledpatient-support vehicle includes a route-status module includingcircuitry operable to provide one or more of travel route imageinformation, patient-support vehicle geographic location information,patient-support vehicle travel direction information, patient-supportvehicle travel velocity information, patient-support vehicle propulsioninformation, or patient-support vehicle braking information.

In an embodiment, a remotely guided, omnidirectional, self-propelledpatient-support vehicle includes a body structure operably coupled tothe vehicle navigation controller. In an embodiment, the body structureincludes a surface configured to support a patient. In an embodiment,the body structure includes a plurality of rotatable members operable tofrictionally the patient-support vehicle to a travel path and to movethe patient-support vehicle along the travel path In an embodiment, thebody structure is operably coupled to a steering assembly operable tovary a steering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., of at least oneof the plurality of rotatable members. In an embodiment, theself-propelled patient-support vehicle includes a power source operablycoupled to one or more of the plurality of rotatable members and a motoroperable to drive one or more of the plurality of rotatable members. Inan embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller includes a patientdestination module for generating one or more control commands fornavigating a remotely guided self-propelled patient-support vehicle toat least a first patient destination along a patient travel route basedon the control command information from the remote navigation network.In an embodiment, a power source is operably coupled to one or more ofthe plurality of rotatable members and configured to rotate at least oneof the plurality of rotatable members based on the control commandinformation from the remote navigation network.

In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things,a remotely guided self-propelled patient-support vehicle including abody structure configured to support a patient in need of transport. Inan embodiment, the body structure is operably coupled to a transportassembly including a steering assembly and a power train. In anembodiment, the remotely guided self-propelled patient-support vehicleincludes a navigation controller having a communication interface. In anembodiment, the communication interface includes at least one of areceiver, a transmitter, and a transceiver operable to communicate witha remote navigation network. In an embodiment, the communicationinterface includes at least one of a receiver, a transmitter, and atransceiver operable to receive travel-route information and at leastone of propulsion control command information, braking commandinformation, and steering command information from the remote navigationnetwork. In an embodiment, the communication interface includes at leastone of a receiver, a transmitter, and a transceiver operable to receivetravel-route information necessary to reach a patient destination alonga patient travel route. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigationcontroller is operably coupled to at least one of the transportassembly, the steering assembly, and the power train and configured togenerate at least one navigation control command for controlling atleast one of propulsion, braking, and steering of a remotely guidedself-propelled patient-support vehicle based on the propulsion controlcommand information, the braking command information, or the steeringcommand information from the remote navigation network.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be inany way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments,and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and featureswill become apparent by reference to the drawings and the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a system including a vehicle fortransporting an individual subject according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a system including a vehicle fortransporting an individual subject according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a system including a vehicle fortransporting an individual subject according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of an article of manufacture accordingto one embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of an article of manufacture accordingto one embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of an article of manufacture accordingto one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings,similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless contextdictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in thedetailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting.Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made,without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matterpresented here.

FIG. 1 shows a system 100 (e.g., an operator-guided vehicle system, aself-guided patient-support and transport system, a self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle system, a remotely guided patient-supportvehicle system, a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle system, aremotely guided, omnidirectional, self-propelled patient-support vehiclesystem, etc.), in which one or more methodologies or technologies can beimplemented such as, for example, an automated vehicle system fortransporting and physically supporting patients, an automated patienttransport system that responds to an operator guide, a self-propelledhospital bed system, a self-propelled hospital bed system employingimage-based navigation, a remotely guided hospital bed system, aremote-controlled patient transport systems, or the like.

In an embodiment, the system 100 includes a transport and supportvehicle 102 (e.g., a bed, a gurney, a stretcher, a wheelchair, etc.) fortransporting an individual subject (e.g., a patient, a human subject, ananimal subject, etc.). For example, in an embodiment, the system 100includes a transport and support vehicle 102 for transporting a patientfrom at least a first location to a second location. In an embodiment,the system 100 includes a transport and support vehicle 102 fortransporting one or more individual subjects to, from, or within afacility (e.g., a healthcare provider facility, a hospital, a home, aroom, etc.), or the like.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes a bodystructure 104 (e.g., a vehicle structure, a bed structure, a bedframe, asteerable body structure, a steerable bed, etc.) including a surface 106arranged and dimensioned to support an individual subject. For example,in an embodiment, the body structure 104 includes one or more mattress108, bed decks, patient support structures, body part posturing devices,etc., arranged and dimensioned to support an individual subject.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes aplurality of rotatable members 110 operable to frictionally interfacethe vehicle to a travel path and to move the vehicle along the travelpath. Non-limiting examples of rotatable members 110 include wheels 112,casters, ball rollers, continuous tracks, drive wheels, steer wheels,propellers, or the like. In an embodiment, rotatable members 110 includeone or more of motors, rotors, hubs, cranks, sprockets, brakeassemblies, bearing assemblies, etc. In an embodiment, the transport andsupport vehicle 102 includes one or more wheels 112. In an embodiment,the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one or more wheels 112,each wheel having an electric wheel hub motor 114. In an embodiment, thepluralities of rotatable members 110 include one or more brushlesselectric motors. In an embodiment, one or more of the rotatable members110 are operably coupled to one or more actuators that use an electricalcurrent or magnetic actuating force to vary the motion of a rotatingcomponent (e.g., an actuator that rotates an axle coupled to the wheelto give it steering, an actuator that activates a rotating componentforming part of an electric brake system, a magnetic bearing, a magnetictorque device, a brushless electric motor, etc. to vary velocity, etc.).

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes a powersource 116 and a motor 118 operably coupled one or more of the pluralityof rotatable members 110, and configured to drive one or more of theplurality of rotatable members 110. In an embodiment, the transport andsupport vehicle 102 includes a powertrain 120 operably coupled to apower source 116. In an embodiment, the powertrain 120 is configured tosupply power to one or more power train components to generate power anddeliver it to a travel path surface. Non-limiting examples of powertraincomponents include motors, engines, transmissions, drive-shafts,differentials, drive rotatable members, final drive assemblies, or thelike. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includesone or more powertrains 120. In an embodiment, the transport and supportvehicle 102 includes a powertrain 120 operably coupled to a plurality ofrotatable members 110 and configured to cause a change in position,acceleration, direction, momentum, or the like, of the transport andsupport vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, each rotatable member 110 is operably coupled to arespective powertrain 120 and a steering assembly 126. In an embodiment,each rotatable member 110 can be controlled separately. For example, inan embodiment, a steering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., canbe controlled separately for each rotatable member 110. In anembodiment, a rotatable member 110 is operably coupled to at least afirst electromagnetic motor that drives a rotatable member 110 and asecond electromagnetic motor that can steer the rotatable member 110. Inan embodiment, each of the first, second, third electromagnetic motor,etc., can be separately controlled for precise movement. In anembodiment, each electromagnetic motor is powered by a battery. In anembodiment a plurality of electromagnetic motors is powered by a singlebattery.

In an embodiment, one or more of the rotatable members 110 are operablycoupled to one or more actuator devices that use an electrical currentor magnetic actuating force to vary the motion of a rotating component(e.g., an actuator that rotates an axle coupled to a rotatable member110 to give it steering, an actuator that activates a rotating componentforming part of an electric brake system, actuator devices that use anelectrical current or magnetic actuating force to control a magneticbearing, a magnetic torque device, a brushless electric motor, etc. tovary velocity, etc.).

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore drive rotatable members 110 operable to receive torque from thepowertrain 120. For example, in an embodiment, during operation, one ormore drive wheels provide a driving force for the transport and supportvehicle 102. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102takes the form of a multi-wheel drive transport and support vehicle. Forexample, in an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes a two-wheel drive transport and support vehicle having twodriven wheels. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102takes the form of a two-wheel drive vehicle, a four-wheel drive vehicle,an all-drive vehicle, or the like. In an embodiment, the transport andsupport vehicle 102 is configured for omnidirectional travel.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore drive control modules 122. In an embodiment, a module includes,among other things, one or more computing devices such as a processor(e.g., a microprocessor), a central processing unit (CPU), a digitalsignal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like, or anycombinations thereof, and can include discrete digital or analog circuitelements or electronics, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, amodule includes one or more ASICs having a plurality of predefined logiccomponents. In an embodiment, a module includes one or more FPGAs, eachhaving a plurality of programmable logic components.

In an embodiment, the drive control modules 122 includes a module havingone or more components operably coupled (e.g., communicatively,electromagnetically, magnetically, ultrasonically, optically,inductively, electrically, capacitively coupled, or the like) to eachother. In an embodiment, a module includes one or more remotely locatedcomponents. In an embodiment, remotely located components are operablycoupled, for example, via wireless communication. In an embodiment,remotely located components are operably coupled, for example, via oneor more receivers 132, transmitters 134, transceivers 136, or the like.In an embodiment, the drive control module 122 includes a module havingone or more routines, components, data structures, interfaces, and thelike.

In an embodiment, a module includes memory that, for example, storesinstructions or information. For example, in an embodiment, at least onecontrol module includes memory that stores operator-guide verificationinformation, operator-guide identification information, operator-guideregistration information, patient identification information, navigationplan information, travel path markings information, travel-route statusinformation, vehicle status information, travel-route statusinformation, etc. Non-limiting examples of memory include volatilememory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory(DRAM), or the like), non-volatile memory (e.g., Read-Only Memory (ROM),Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), CompactDisc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), or the like), persistent memory, or thelike. Further non-limiting examples of memory include ErasableProgrammable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), flash memory, or the like. In anembodiment, the memory is coupled to, for example, one or more computingdevices by one or more instructions, information, or power buses. In anembodiment, the drive control module 122 includes memory that, forexample, stores operator-guide identification information, travel-routestatus information, or the like. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 includes memory that, for example,stores object tracking information, operator-zone registrationinformation, control command information, gesture information, or thelike.

In an embodiment, a module includes one or more computer-readable mediadrives, interface sockets, Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, memory cardslots, or the like, and one or more input/output components such as, forexample, a graphical user interface, a display, a keyboard, a keypad, atrackball, a joystick, a touch-screen, a mouse, a switch, a dial, or thelike, and any other peripheral device. In an embodiment, a moduleincludes one or more user input/output components that are operablycoupled to at least one computing device configured to control(electrical, electromechanical, software-implemented,firmware-implemented, or other control, or combinations thereof) atleast one parameter associated with, for example, controlling one ormore of driving, navigating, braking, or steering the transport andsupport vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, a module includes a computer-readable media drive ormemory slot that is configured to accept signal-bearing medium (e.g.,computer-readable memory media, computer-readable recording media, orthe like). In an embodiment, a program for causing a system to executeany of the disclosed methods can be stored on, for example, acomputer-readable recording medium (CRMM), a signal-bearing medium, orthe like. Non-limiting examples of signal-bearing media include arecordable type medium such as a magnetic tape, floppy disk, a hard diskdrive, a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), Blu-Ray Disc, adigital tape, a computer memory, or the like, as well as transmissiontype medium such as a digital or an analog communication medium (e.g., afiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communications link, a wirelesscommunication link (e.g., receiver 132, transmitter 134, transceiver136, transmission logic, reception logic, etc.). Further non-limitingexamples of signal-bearing media include, but are not limited to,DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, CD-ROM, Super Audio CD,CD-R, CD+R, CD+RW, CD-RW, Video Compact Discs, Super Video Discs, flashmemory, magnetic tape, magneto-optic disk, MINIDISC, non-volatile memorycard, EEPROM, optical disk, optical storage, RAM, ROM, system memory,web server, or the like.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is operablycoupled to one or more rotatable members 110 having a braking system.The braking system can include, but is not limited to, a disc brakesystem, an electronic brake system, a drum brake system, or the like. Inan embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is operably coupledto one or more rotatable members 110 having a regenerative brake system.In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is operablycoupled to one or more brake control modules 124.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is operablycoupled to steering assembly 126 having one or more modules, mechanisms,components, linkages, steering gear assemblies, or the like operable tosteer the transport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, thesteering assembly 126 is operable to vary a steering angle, anorientation, a velocity, etc., of at least one of a plurality ofrotatable members 110. For example, in an embodiment, the transport andsupport vehicle 102 is operably coupled to steering assembly 126 havingone or more electromechanical elements operable to vary a steeringangle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., of at least one of a pluralityof rotatable members 110. In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126 isoperable to vary a steering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., ofat least one of a plurality of wheels 112. In an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 is operably coupled to steeringassembly 126 having one or more components linkages, steering gearassemblies, rod assemblies, or the like that aid in directing thetransport and support vehicle 102 along a target course. In anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is operably coupled tosteering assembly 126 having one or more actuators, electric wheel hubmotors, magnetic bearings, magnetic torque devices, brushless electricmotors, or the like that aid in directing the transport and supportvehicle 102 along a target course.

In an embodiment, for example, the transport and support vehicle 102 isoperably coupled to one or more steer wheels operable to changedirection of the transport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment,the steering assembly 126 is operably coupled to power steeringassembly.

In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126 includes one or more sensors150 (e.g., yaw-rate sensors, angular velocity sensors, steering anglesensors, wheel speed sensors, position sensors, etc.). For example, inan embodiment, the steering assembly 126 includes a steering sensoroperable to detect a steering angle, orientation, etc., associated witha steered one of the plurality of rotatable members 110. In anembodiment, the steering assembly 126 includes a vehicle velocity sensoroperable to detect a velocity of the transport and support vehicle 102.In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126 is operably coupled tovehicle acceleration sensor operable to detect an acceleration of thevehicle. In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126 is operably coupledto vehicle position sensor operable to detect a geographical location ofthe vehicle. In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126 is operablycoupled to rotational rate sensor operable to detect a rate of rotationof the transport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes atleast three wheels 112, and the steering assembly 126 is operable tovary a steering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., of at least oneof the at least three wheels 112. In an embodiment, the transport andsupport vehicle 102 includes one or more steering control modules 128.For example, in an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes one or more steering control modules 128 having circuitryoperable to vary a steering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., ofat least one of the plurality of rotatable members 110.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes animager 138 operable to locate an operator (e.g., an authorized operator140, an off-board operator, an off-board guide, an operator differentfrom the on-board patient, or the like) within operator-guide zone 142(e.g., an image zone, or the like). In an embodiment, the imager 138 isoperably coupled to a power source, such as the power source 116, andthe body structure 104, and includes one or more modules havingcircuitry operable to operate the power source 116 and steering assembly126 so as to maintain the transport and support vehicle 102 at a targetseparation from an authorized operator within operator-guide zone 142.In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126 is communicatively coupled,physically coupled, electromagnetically coupled, magnetically coupled,ultrasonically coupled, optically coupled, inductively coupled,electrically coupled, capacitively coupled, wirelessly coupled, or thelike) to the imager 138 and is configured to vary a vehicle headingbased on one or more inputs from the imager indicative of a change inposition by the authorized operator 140. In an embodiment, the steeringassembly 126 is communicatively coupled to the imager 138 and isconfigured to vary a vehicle heading based on a change in position bythe authorized operator 140. In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126is communicatively coupled to the imager 138 and is operable to controla direction of travel based on one or more inputs from the imagerindicative of a sensed change in position by the authorized operator140. In an embodiment, the steering assembly 126 is operable to vary asteering angle, an orientation, a velocity, etc., of at least one of aplurality of rotatable members 110 based on a change in position by theauthorized operator 140.

In an embodiment, the imager 138 includes a camera and afacial-recognition module including circuitry configured to locate,identify, authorize, etc., an operator within an operator-guide zone142. For example, in an embodiment, the imager 138 includes one or moremodules having circuitry, such as, one or more sensor 150 (e.g., opticalsensors, cameras, radiofrequency sensors, three-dimensional sensors(e.g., 3-D sensors operable to capture information about the shape of aface, etc.) or the like) operable to acquire image information. In anembodiment, during operation, the imager 138 determines an individual'sidentity by detecting and analyzing distinct features of an individual'sface surface (e.g., structural features of the eye sockets, chin, nose,etc.). In an embodiment, the imager 138 includes three-dimensionalsensor-based face recognition modalities. For example, in an embodiment,the imager 138 includes one or more infrared light sensor operable tomeasures depth, position, motion, or the like. In an embodiment, theimager 138 comprises a multimodal biometric sensor for identifyingpersons, objects, or the like. Various facial-recognition hardware,programs, software, etc., are known and can be used.

In an embodiment, the imager 138 includes an optical camera, a stereooptical camera, or the like. In an embodiment, the imager 138 includesat least one of a radar module having an optical radar, a microwaveradar device, Doppler radar device, and the like. In an embodiment, theimager 138 can be used to measure velocity. In an embodiment, the imager138 includes a rangefinder device (e.g., laser range finder, acousticrange finder, rangefinder camera, sonic ranging module, or the like) todetermine the approximate distance of the operator from the vehicle.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 takes the formof a self-propelled operator-guided bed including anoperator-authorization device 130. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 is configured to acquire verificationinformation associated with an operator 140. For example, in anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is operably coupled toan operator-authorization device 130 having an input interface and oneor more modules operable to acquire verification information associatedwith an operator 140.

In an embodiment, the input interface includes a graphical userinterface. In an embodiment, the input interface includes a tabletcomputing device, a smartphone, or a mobile device. In an embodiment,the input interface includes an information input device, a scanner, acard reader/writer device. In an embodiment, the input interfaceincludes a keyboard, a plug-in subscriber identification module (SIM)card, or a Flash drive. In an embodiment, the input interface includes awire carrying a coded signal.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 is operablycoupled to at least one of a receiver 132, a transceiver 134, and atransmitter 136 operable to acquire the verification informationassociated with the operator 140. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 includes a graphical user interface.In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes atablet computing device, a smartphone, or a mobile device.

In an embodiment, the input interface includes at least one of areceiver, a transceiver, and a transmitter to acquire the verificationinformation associated with an operator. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 includes an information input device,a scanner, or a card reader/writer device (e.g., smart-card reader,magnetic swipe card reader, optical card reader, media reader/writer,etc.). In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includesa verification module 144 for determining whether the operator is anauthorized operator 140.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes acommunication interface 131 configured to acquire operator-guideverification information from an identification device 146 associatedwith an operator-guide. In an embodiment, the operator-authorizationdevice 130 includes routines, components, data structures, interfaces,and the like, operable to acquire operator-guide verificationinformation from an identification device 146 associated with anoperator-guide. For example, during operation, a plurality of trackingsensors operably coupled to a tracking module 148 follow, monitor,track, etc., changes in a location of a person carrying theoperator-authorization device 130 by monitoring a communication signalfrom the operator-authorization device 130. Accordingly, in anembodiment, the tracking module 148 is configured to correlate at leastone measurand from one or more of the plurality of tracking sensors toone or more physical movements of a user carrying the identificationdevice 146. In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130includes at least one of a receiver 132, a transceiver 134, and atransmitter 136 operable to acquire the verification informationassociated with the operator-guide.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes anegotiation module 152 configured to initiate a discovery protocol thatallows the operator-authorization device 130 and the identificationdevice 146 associated with the operator-guide to identify each other andnegotiate one or more pre-shared keys. For example, in an embodiment,the operator-authorization device 130 includes a negotiation module 152having routines, components, data structures, interfaces, and the like,operable to initiate a discovery protocol that allows theoperator-authorization device 130 and the identification device 146associated with the operator-guide to identify each other and negotiateone or more pre-shared keys.

In an embodiment, at least one of the operator-authorization device 130and the identification device 146 is responsive based on at least one ofan authorization protocol, an authentication protocol, an activationprotocol, a negotiation protocol, and the like. For example, duringoperation, in an embodiment, at least one of the operator-authorizationdevice 130 and the identification device 146 implements a discovery anda registration protocol that allows the operator-authorization device130 and the identification device 146 to find each other and negotiateone or more pre-shared keys. This negotiation is implemented using avariety of technologies, methodologies, and modalities including, forexample, using aggressive-mode exchanges, main-mode exchanges,quick-mode exchanges, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, atleast one of the operator-authorization device 130 and theidentification device 146 is operable to establish an Internet SecurityAssociation and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) security association(SA), between the operator-authorization device 130 and theidentification device 146 using one or more negotiations schemas.Non-limiting examples of negotiation types include aggressive-modenegotiation, main-mode negotiation, quick-mode negotiation, or the like.Further limiting examples of negotiation types include aggressive modenegotiation using pre-shared key authentication followed by quick-modenegotiation, aggressive mode using digital signature authenticationfollowed by quick-mode negotiation, main mode negotiation using digitalsignature authentication followed by quick-mode negotiation, main modenegotiation using encrypted nonce-based authentication followed byquick-mode negotiation, main mode negotiation using pre-shared keyauthentication followed by quick-mode negotiation, or the like. In anembodiment, the ISAKMP SA is used to protect subsequent key exchangesbetween peer devices (e.g., via quick-mode negotiation protocols, or thelike).

In an embodiment, at least one of the operator-authorization device 130,the identification device 146, and the other devices disclosed hereinoperates in a networked environment using connections to one or moreremote computing devices (e.g., a common network node, a networkcomputer, a network node, a peer device, a personal computer, a router,a server, a tablet PC, a tablet, etc.) and typically includes many orall of the elements described above. In an embodiment, the connectionsinclude connections to a local area network (LAN), a wide area network(WAN), or other networks. In an embodiment, the connections includeconnections to one or more enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets,and the Internet. In an embodiment, the system 100, the transport andsupport vehicle 102, the operator-authorization device 130, or the likeoperate in a cloud computing environment including one or more cloudcomputing systems (e.g., private cloud computing systems, public cloudcomputing systems, hybrid cloud computing systems, or the like).

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes atleast one of a receiver 132, a transceiver 134, and a transmitter 136that acquires various information as necessary, including for example,operator-guide identification information, operator-guide authorizationstatus information, and the like. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 is operably coupled to one or moredistal sensors that acquire travel path markings information. In anembodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes memory havingpatient-specific route-to-destination information stored thereon. In anembodiment, operator-authorization device 130 is configured to acquireroute-to-destination information. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 is configured to acquire patientidentification information. In an embodiment, the operator-authorizationdevice 130 is configured to acquire self-propelled operator-guidedvehicle status information. In an embodiment, the operator-authorizationdevice 130 is configured to acquire travel-route status information.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 is operablycoupled to the transport assembly and includes one or more sensorsoperable to detect an operator-guide identification device 146associated with an operator-guide. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 includes a communication interface 131having one or more modules configured to acquire operator-guideverification information from the operator-guide identification device146. For example, in an embodiment, during operation, the operator-guideidentification device 146 is interrogated by an electromagnetic energysignal, an acoustic signal, or the like, generated by theoperator-authorization device 130 to elicit an authorization key. Uponauthorization, information such as operator-guide authorization statusinformation, operator-guide identity information, operator-guidereference guidance information, operator-guide verification information,physical movement image information, route-to-destination information,vehicle status information, etc., is shared. In an embodiment, oncelocated, identified, authorized, etc. a method includes tracking staff,patients, vehicles, events, or the like to determine a compliancestatus.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes one ormore modules operable to acquire information indicative of at least oneof an operator-guide authorization status, an operator-guide identity,and an operator-guide reference physical movement information. In anembodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes one or moremodules that generate one or more control commands for causing thetransport assembly to maintaining the self-propelled operator-guidedvehicle at a target separation from the authorized operator-guideidentification device 146 based on the at least one of theoperator-guide authorization status, the operator-guide identity, andthe operator-guide reference physical movement information.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 is configured toacquire navigation plan information (e.g., hospital physical layoutinformation, route information, obstacle information, real-time hospitaltraffic information, destination information, origination information,etc.) from the operator-guide identification device 146 and to cause thegeneration of the one or more control commands for causing the transportassembly to maintain the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle at thetarget separation from the authorized operator-guide identificationdevice 146 based on the navigation plan information.

In an embodiment, operator-authorization device 130 includes anavigation module 154 is operably coupled to the one or more sensors 150and configured to detect a location of the operator-guide identificationdevice 146 associated with the operator-guide. Non-limiting examples ofsensors 150 include acoustic sensors, optical sensors, electromagneticenergy sensors, image sensors, photodiode arrays, charge-coupled devices(CCDs), complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices,transducers, optical recognition sensors, infrared sensors, radiofrequency components sensors, thermo sensor, or the like. In anembodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes a navigationmodule 154 operably coupled to the one or more sensors 150 andconfigured to determine a location of the operator-guide identificationdevice 146 relative to the transport and support vehicle 102. In anembodiment, operator-authorization device 130 includes a navigationmodule 154 operably coupled to the one or more sensors 150 andconfigured to generate one or more control commands for maintaining theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle at target separation from theoperator-guide identification device 146 responsive to a change oflocation of the operator-guide identification device 146 relative to thetransport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the operator-guideidentification device 146 includes one or more transducers that detectand convert acoustic signals emitted from the operator-authorizationdevice 130 into electronic signals.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore modules operable to register the operator-guide identificationdevice 146 relative to the transport and support vehicle 102 and togenerate registration information. In an embodiment, the navigationmodule 154 is configured to locate, register, and track theoperator-guide identification device 146 with at least oneoperator-guide zone 142, and to generate operator-guide zoneregistration information. In an embodiment, the navigation module 154 isconfigured to register the operator-guide identification device 146relative to one operator-guide zone 142 and to generate registrationinformation and one or more navigation control commands based on theregistration information.

In an embodiment, the navigation module 154 is configured to registerthe operator-guide identification device 146 relative to the transportand support vehicle 102 and to generate registration information. Forexample, during operation, the navigation module 154 maps (e.g.,spatially aligns, registers, projects, correlates, etc.) thegeographical location of operator-guide identification device 146relative to the geographical location of the transport and supportvehicle 102. In an embodiment, the navigation module 154 is configuredto generate one or more navigation control commands for maintain thetransport and support vehicle 102 at a target separation form theoperator-guide identification device 146 based on the on theregistration information. In an embodiment, the navigation module 154registers a plurality of objects by mapping coordinates from one objectto corresponding points in another object. In an embodiment, thenavigation module 154 registers objects (e.g., operator-guide zones,travel path locations, target and reference objects, targets and focalregions, images, etc.) using one or more transformations.

Non-limiting examples of registration techniques or methodologiesinclude deformable registration, landmark-based registration, or rigidregistration. See e.g., Paquin et al., Multiscale Image Registration,Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, Vol. 3:2 (2006); see alsoPaquin, Dana, PhD, Multiscale Methods for Image Registration, Ph.D.dissertation, Stanford University (2007); Zitova et al., ImageRegistration Methods: a Survey, Image and Vision Computing (21) pp.977-1000 (2003); each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Inan embodiment, registration includes techniques or methodologies forspatially aligning images taken using different imaging modalities,taken at different times, or that vary in perspective. Furthernon-limiting examples of registration techniques or methodologiesinclude deformable multiscale registration, hybrid multiscale landmarkregistration, multiscale image registration, or rigid multiscaleregistration. In an embodiment, registration includes one or more offeature detection, feature identification, feature matching, ortransform modeling. In an embodiment, registration includes mappingfeatures of a first object with the features of a second object. In anembodiment, registration includes determining a point-by-pointcorrespondence between two objects, regions, or the like. In anembodiment, registration includes determining a point-by-pointcorrespondence between an object and a location. For example, in anembodiment, registration includes determining a point-by-pointcorrespondence between an object and an operator-guide zone 142.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes anavigation module 154 operably coupled to the one or more sensors 150and configured to generate one or more control commands for maintaininga velocity differences between a transport and support vehicle's 102 andthe operator-guide within a target range. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 includes a navigation module 154operably coupled to the one or more sensors 150 and configured togenerate one or more control commands for maintaining a velocitydifferences between the transport and support vehicle 102 and theoperator-guide within a target range.

In an embodiment, operator-authorization device 130 is configured togenerate route-to-destination information responsive to a displacementof the operator-guide identification device 146 relative the transportand support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, operator-authorization device130 is configured to generate route-to-destination informationresponsive to a detected velocity difference between the operator-guideidentification device 146 and the transport and support vehicle 102. Inan embodiment, operator-authorization device 130 is configured togenerate one or more control commands for controlling one or more ofpropulsion, braking, or steering responsive to movement of theoperator-guide identification device 146. In an embodiment,operator-authorization device 130 is configured to generate one or morecontrol commands for controlling one or more of propulsion, braking, orsteering responsive to movement of the operator-guide identificationdevice 146 responsive to a communication loss between the operator-guideidentification device 146 and the transport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 takes the form aself-propelled operator-guided bed including a navigation controller 156and a bedframe structure. In an embodiment, the navigation controller156 is configured to register the transport and support vehicle 102relative to a portion of a travel path and to generate registrationinformation. In an embodiment, the navigation controller 156 is operablycoupled to the operator-authorization device 130 and the bedframestructure. In an embodiment, the navigation controller 156 includes oneor more navigation modules 154 having circuitry operable to provide acontrol signal to navigate the bedframe structure along a travel pathbased on the one or more detected locations of the identification device146. In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includesnavigation module 154 having circuitry operable to generate andimplement one or more control commands for controlling one or more ofpropulsion, braking, or steering responsive to one or more detectedlocations of the identification device 146. In an embodiment, thenavigation controller 156 include one or more object sensors and isconfigured to maintain the bedframe structure at a target separationfrom an object proximate the travel path. In an embodiment, thenavigation controller 156 is configured to maintain the bedframestructure at a target separation from a wall proximate the travel path.

In an embodiment, the transport and support system 100 includes one ormore self-propelled operator-guided vehicles. In an embodiment, eachself-propelled operator-guided vehicle includes a bedframe structurehaving a surface 106 configured to support a patient, the bedframestructure including a transport assembly having a plurality of rotatablemembers 110 to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path andto move the vehicle along the travel path and a navigation systemconfigured to vary one or more of propulsion, braking, or steering angleof at least one of the plurality of rotatable members 110.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoperator-authorization device 130 having one or more image sensors foracquiring image information of an operator within an operator-guide zone142. In an embodiment, operator-authorization device 130 includes averification module 144 for determining whether the operator is anauthorized operator 140 based on the image information. In anembodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 includes one or moremodules operable to determine one or more of operator-guideidentification information or operator-guide authorization statusinformation based on the image information. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 is configured to determine at leastone of operator-guide identification and operator-guide authorizationstatus information based on the one or more detected physical movementsof the operator within the operator-guide zone 142.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156. For example, in anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 operably coupled to atleast one or more of the operator-authorization device 130, the steeringassembly 126, the power source 116, or the motor 118. In an embodiment,the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 includes a controlcommand module operable to determine physical movement information fromthe image information and to map one or more detected physical movementsof the authorized operator 140 within the operator-guide zone 142 to atleast one input correlated with one or more navigation control commandsfor controlling the transport and support vehicle 102 based on thephysical movement information. In an embodiment, the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 is configured to navigate thetransport and support vehicle 102 based on the one or more navigationcontrol commands. In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehiclenavigation controller 156 is responsive to the operator-authorizationdevice 130, and the one or more navigation control commands, forcontrolling one or more of propulsion, braking, or steering to directthe transport and support vehicle 102 along a travel route.

In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156is responsive to the operator-authorization device 130, and the one ormore navigation control commands, for determining a travel route for thetransport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 is operably coupled to at least one ofthe one or more image sensors and is configured to determine a travelroute based on the one or more detected physical movements of theoperator within the operator-guide zone 142. In an embodiment,operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 is operably coupled toa geographical positioning system as is configured to determine one ormore travel destinations based on the one or more detected physicalmovements of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142.

In an embodiment, it may be necessary to move a patient to and fromvarious locations, care units, etc., within a care facility. Patientsundergoing numerous diagnostic procedures, interventional procedures,etc., may require transport to more than one location. An operator(e.g., a care provider, an orderly, a nurse, at doctor, etc.) may assistthe patient onto a transport and support vehicle 102, and to one or moretarget destinations. More than one operator may be necessary along theway to reach more than one destination. During operation, an operator myapproach the transport and support vehicle 102 to guide it to a targetdestination along a travel route. In an embodiment, a protocol can beactivated to determine, for example, whether the operator is authorizedto assist that transport and support vehicle 102, whether the correctpatient is on the transport and support vehicle 102, a status of one ormore travel routes, a status of one or more destination locations, etc.,or the like.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is configured torespond to an operator that will assist it to reach one or moredestinations along a travel route. In an embodiment, prior to engagingwith the operator, the transport and support vehicle 102 determineswhether the operator proximate to the transport and support vehicle 102,within an operator-guide zone 142, etc., is authorized to guide thetransport and support vehicle 102 to a destination. For example, in anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 is operably coupled toan operator-authorization device 130 including a verification module 144for determining whether the operator is an authorized operator 140. Inan embodiment, the verification module 144 includes circuitry fordetermining whether the physical coupling member associated with the atleast one human corresponds to an authorized operator 140. In anembodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 is operably coupled tocommunication interface 131 configured to acquire operator-guideverification information from an identification device 146 associatedwith an operator-guide. In an embodiment, the operator-authorizationdevice 130 is operably coupled to an imager 138 including a camera and afacial-recognition module having circuitry configured to locate,identify, authorize, etc., an operator within an operator-guide zone142.

Once it has been determined that an operator is an authorized operator140 of the transport and support vehicle 102, the operator-authorizationdevice 130 is operable to enable an automatic controlled state, a manualcontrolled state, an operator-guided state, or remote controlled stateof the transport and support vehicle 102. For example, in an embodiment,in an operator-guided state, the transport and support vehicle 102determines navigation control commands for controlling the transport andsupport vehicle 102 based on gesture information, movement information,or the like, associated with an authorized operator 140.

In an embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 is operablycoupled to a steering assembly 126 that varies a vehicle heading basedon one or more inputs from the imager 138 indicative of a change inposition by the authorized operator 140. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 is operably coupled to a navigationmodule 154 that generates one or more control commands for maintainingthe self-propelled operator-guided vehicle at target separation from theoperator-guide identification device 146 responsive to a change oflocation of the operator-guide identification device 146 relative to thetransport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 is operably coupled to one or moresensors 150 that image and track a movement of a least a portion of theoperator within the operator-guide zone 142, and generates one or morenavigation control commands for controlling the transport and supportvehicle 102 based on a measurand indicative of change in position of theportion of the operator.

Accordingly, in an embodiment, the authorized operator 140 assist,guides, controls, actuates, etc., the patient transport and supportvehicle 102 to one or more target destinations along a travel route.

Referring to FIG. 2, in an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle102 includes a virtual object generator 202. For example, in anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes a virtualobject generator 202 operably coupled to the operator-guide vehiclenavigation controller 156. In an embodiment, during operation, thevirtual object generator 202 is configured to generate a virtualrepresentation 204 of at least one of a locality 206 of the operatorwithin the operator-guide zone 142 and a locality the transport andsupport vehicle 102 within a physical space on a virtual display 206. Inan embodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 is configured totrack at least a portion of the operator within the operator-guide zone142 and to update a virtual object 208 in a virtual space correspondingto the physical location of at least one of the transport and supportvehicle 102 and the portion of the operator within the operator-guidezone 142. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes a virtual object generator 202 operably coupled to theoperator-guide vehicle navigation controller 156 and configured togenerate a virtual representation 210 of the one or more navigationcontrol commands on a virtual display.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes avirtual object generator 202 operably coupled to the operator-guidevehicle navigation controller 156 and configured to generate a virtualrepresentation 212 corresponding to the physical location of thetransport and support vehicle 102 on a virtual display. In anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes a virtualobject generator 202 operably coupled to the operator-guide vehiclenavigation controller 156 and configured to generate a virtualrepresentation 214 corresponding to the portion of the operator withinthe operator-guide zone 142 on a virtual display. In an embodiment, theoperator-authorization device 130 is configured to image one or morephysical movements of the operator 140 within the operator-guide zone142 responsive to the image information and to update a virtual object210 in a virtual space corresponding to the one or more physicalmovements of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore sensors 150 that image and track a movement of a least a portion ofthe operator within the operator-guide zone 142. For example, in anembodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156includes a navigation module 154 that is operably coupled to the one ormore movement recognition and tracking sensors and is configured togenerate one or more navigation control commands for controlling thetransport and support vehicle 102 based on a measurand indicative ofchange in position of the portion of the operator. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 is operable togenerate one or more control commands for maintaining a separation 160between the transport and support vehicle 102 and the operator withinthe operator-guide zone 142 within a target range. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 is operable togenerate one or more control commands for maintaining a velocitydifference between the transport and support vehicle 102 and theoperator within the operator-guide zone 142 within a target range.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore sensors 150 that image and track a movement of a least a portion ofthe operator within an operator-guide zone 142 while the operator isproximate a side, front, or rear portion of the transport and supportvehicle 102. For example, in an embodiment, the transport and supportvehicle 102 includes one or more movement recognition and trackingsensors that image and real-time track at least a portion of theoperator while the operator is proximate a side, front, or rear portionof the transport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 includes one or more movementrecognition and tracking sensors that image and real-time track at leasta portion of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142. In anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one or moresensors 150 that determine proximity information (e.g., signal strength,propagation time, phase change, etc.) indicative of a transport andsupport vehicle 102 location relative to an operator within theoperator-guide zone 142. In an embodiment, the transport and supportvehicle 102 includes one or more movement recognition and trackingsensors operable to image one or more hand or arms gestures of theoperator. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes one or more movement recognition and tracking sensors operableto image one or more hand or arms gestures of an authorized operator140, an operator, an guide, an operator different from the on-boardpatient, or the like. Non-limiting examples of movement recognition andtracking sensors include optical sensors, cameras, radiofrequencysensors, three-dimensional sensors, electro-optical sensors, infra-redsensors, network of sensors, distributed set of sensors, locationsensors, etc. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102takes the form of transport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment,the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 is operablycoupled to the one or more movement recognition and tracking sensors andis configured to determine gestures information from image informationand to map the one or more hand or arms gestures of the operator withinthe operator-guide zone 142 to at least one input correlated with one ormore navigation control commands for controlling the transport andsupport vehicle 102 based on the gesture information.

In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156is operable to enable an automatic controlled state, a manual controlledstate, an operator-guided state, or remote controlled state of thetransport and support vehicle 102 based on a measurand from the one ormore movement recognition and tracking sensors indicative that operatoris not within the operator-guide zone 142. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 operable to initiate astandby mode, based on a measurand from the one or more movementrecognition and tracking sensors indicative that operator is absent fromthe operator-guide zone 142. In an embodiment, the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 operable to initiate a no-operatorprotocol, based on a measurand from the one or more movement recognitionand tracking sensors indicative that an authorized operator 140 is notwithin the operator-guide zone 142.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includesself-propelled hospital bed navigation control system that includes anoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 including a navigationmodule 154 having one or more sensors 150 operable to detect at leastone operator within an operator-guide zone 142.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle includes a bedframestructure. In an embodiment, the bedframe structure includes a surface106 arranged and dimensioned to support an individual subject. In anembodiment, the plurality of rotatable members 110 is adapted andconfigured to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and tomove the vehicle along the travel path. In an embodiment, the steeringassembly 126 operable to vary a steering angle, an orientation, avelocity, etc., of at least one of the plurality of rotatable members110. In an embodiment, the power source 116 and the motor 118 areoperable to drive the one or more of the plurality of rotatable members110.

In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156is configured to detect the at least one operator within anoperator-guide zone 142 located proximate the self-propelled hospitalbed based on at least one measurand from the one or more sensors 150. Inan embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to detect the at least one operator within an operator-guidezone 142 located proximate a side portion of the self-propelled hospitalbed based on at least one measurand from the one or more sensors 150. Inan embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to detect the at least one operator within an operator-guidezone 142 located proximate a distal portion of the self-propelledhospital bed based on at least one measurand from the one or moresensors 150. In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigationcontroller 156 includes at least one communication interface 131configured to detect an identification device 146 associated with the atleast one operator based on at least one measurand from the one or moresensors 150.

In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156includes one or more optical sensors operable to detect an opticalauthorization signal from an identification device 146 associated withthe at least one operator. In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehiclenavigation controller 156 includes one or more transducers operable todetect an acoustic authorization signal from an identification device146 associated with the at least one operator. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 includes one or moreimagers 138 to acquire an image of a human proximate the self-propelledhospital bed or of a badge associated with the at least one operator. Inan embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 isoperably coupled to a device associated with the at least one operatorvia an input-or-output port, the navigation controller 156. In anembodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 isoperably connected to a physical coupling member associated with the atleast one operator via an input-or-output port.

In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156includes a verification module 144 including circuitry for determiningwhether the physical coupling member associated with the at least onehuman corresponds to an authorized operator 140. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 includes acommunication interface 131 operable to initiating a discovery protocolthat allows the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 and anidentification device 146 associated with the at least one operator toidentify each other and negotiate one or more pre-shared keys. In anembodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156includes at least one a receiver 132, transmitter 134, or transceiver136 configured to detect an identification device 146 associated withthe at least one operator. In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehiclenavigation controller 156 includes one or more electromagnetic energysensors that detect a wireless signal from identification device 146associated with at least one operator. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 includes one or moreoptical sensors configured to detect radiation reflected form one ormore retro-reflector elements associated with the at least one operator.In an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156includes one or more optical sensors configured to detect radiationreflected from one or more retro-reflector elements along a travel path.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoperator movement mapping module. For example, in an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 includes an operator movement mappingmodule operably coupled to the operator-guided vehicle navigationcontroller 156 and to at least one of the plurality of rotatable members110, the power source 116, and the motor 118. In an embodiment, theoperator movement mapping module is operable to map one or more physicalmovements of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142 to at leastone input correlated with one or more navigation control commands forcontrolling the transport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, theoperator movement mapping module is operable to generate a controlsignal to at least one of the plurality of rotatable members 110, thepower source 116, and the motor 118 to navigate the transport andsupport vehicle 102 based on the one or more navigation controlcommands.

In an embodiment, the operator movement mapping module includescircuitry configured to map one or more gestures of the human operatorwithin the operator-guide zone to at least one input correlated with oneor more navigation control commands for controlling the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle, and to generate a control signal to at leastone of the plurality of rotatable members 110, the power source 116, andthe motor 118 to navigate the self-propelled operator-guided vehiclebased on the one or more navigation control commands.

In an embodiment, the operator movement mapping module includescircuitry configured to map one or more physical movements of the humanoperator resulting in a change in separation distance of the humanoperator within the operator-guide zone from the bed, to at least oneinput correlated with one or more navigation control commands forcontrolling the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle, and to generatea control signal to at least one of the plurality of rotatable members110, the power source 116, and the motor 118 to navigate theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle based on the one or morenavigation control commands.

Referring to FIG. 3, in an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle102 includes a fail-safe control system 300. For example, in anembodiment, the fail-safe control system 300 include one or morefail-safe devices 302 that physically couple the transport and supportvehicle 102 to the at least one operator 140. In an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 includes a fail-safe control system300 having a fail-safe module 308 including circuitry operable toactivate a fail-safe protocol when the operator 140 is no longerdetected. For example, during operation, the operator 140 couples aninformation carrier 304 to an interface port 306 of the transport andsupport vehicle 102. Upon coupling, a verification module 144 determineswhether the operator 140 is an authorized operator. In an embodiment,the fail-safe control system 300 is operable to activate a fail-safeprotocol during a fail-safe mode of operation. For example, in anembodiment, the fail-safe control system 300 is operable to activate afail-safe protocol responsive to an indication that the transport andsupport vehicle 102 and the at least one operator are no longerphysically coupled via the fail-safe control system 300. In anembodiment, the fail-safe control system 300 includes one or moremodules operable to activate a fail-safe protocol when the informationcarrier 304 is no longer detected. In an embodiment, fail-safe controlsystem 300 includes a connection assembly for coupling theoperator-guided transport and support vehicle 102 to a physical couplingmember associated with the least one operator. In an embodiment, thefail-safe control system 300 is operable to activate a fail-safeprotocol when the coupling to the physical coupling member is lost. Inan embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes afail-safe control system 300 having an input-or-output interface tooperably connect an information carrier 304 associated with the at leastone operator 140 to the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller156.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anaudio input recognition control device 310 (e.g., voice-commandrecognition device, speech recognition device, audio tone control inputdevice, etc.) including one or more acoustic sensor operable torecognize speech input, and to generate a transport route based on thespeech input. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes an audio-activated control module 312 operable to receive anaudio input and to correlate the audio input to at least one navigationcontrol command for controlling at least one of propulsion, braking, andsteering of the transport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anaudio control module 314 operably coupled to the operator-guided vehiclenavigation controller 156 and configured to receive one or more voicecommand inputs from the operator and to identify one or more potentialmatching symbols for the one or more voice commands. In an embodiment,the potential one or more matching symbols include at least onenavigation control command for controlling the transport and supportvehicle 102. In an embodiment, the potential one or more matchingsymbols include at least one navigation control command for controllinga destination of the transport and support vehicle 102. In anembodiment, the potential one or more matching symbols include at leastone navigation control command for controlling an orientation of thetransport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the potential oneor more matching symbols include at least one navigation control commandfor controlling at least one of propulsion, braking, and steering of thetransport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes avoice-command recognition device 316 including a voice-command controlmodule 318 having one or more transducers operable to recognize anoperator-specific input, receive one or more speech inputs, and generatetransport route information based on the one or more speech inputs. Inan embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes a speechrecognition device 318 including one or more speech control modules 320operable to correlate speech input to at least one navigation controlcommand for controlling at least one of propulsion, braking, andsteering of the transport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore navigation systems (e.g., a laser navigation system, an opticalnavigation system, a sonic navigation system, a vision navigationsystem, etc.). In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes a navigation system including one or more navigation modules.For example, in an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes a navigation module having a global position circuitry fordetecting a geographical location of the transport and support vehicle102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoptical navigation system operably coupled to the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 and including one or moreelectromagnetic energy sensors. In an embodiment, the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 configured to generate a controlsignal to at least one of the plurality of rotatable members 110, thepower source 116, and the motor 118 to navigate the transport andsupport vehicle 102 based on one or more measurands outputs from theoptical navigation system.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes aninertial navigation system operably coupled to the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156, and including one or more motionsensors or rotation sensors. In an embodiment, the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 is configured to generate at least oneof position information, orientation information, and velocityinformation based on one or more measurands outputs from the inertialnavigation system. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle102 includes a collision avoidance system operably coupled to theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 and including one ormore sensors 150 operable to detect a travel path condition. In anembodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156configured to generate a control signal to at least one of the pluralityof rotatable members 110, the power source 116, and the motor 118 tonavigate the transport and support vehicle 102 based on one or moremeasurands outputs from the collision avoidance system.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes acollision avoidance system operably coupled to the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 and including one or more sensors 150operable to detect a travel path condition. In an embodiment, theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 is configured togenerate a control signal to control at least one of propulsion,braking, and steering of the transport and support vehicle 102 based onone or more measurands outputs from the collision avoidance system. Inan embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore moment of inertia sensors operably coupled to the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156. In an embodiment, the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 configured to generate one or morenavigation control commands for controlling the transport and supportvehicle 102 based on at least one measurand from the one or more momentof inertia sensor. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle102 includes one or more weight sensors operably coupled to theoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156, the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 configured to generate one or morenavigation control commands for controlling the transport and supportvehicle 102 based on at least one measurand from the one or more weightsensors 150.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes aplurality of distance measuring sensors for determining a traveldistance from a location on the transport and support vehicle 102 to aremote object. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes a plurality of travel-path sensors for detecting a remoteobject along a travel path of the transport and support vehicle 102. Inan embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anaudio-activated control module 312 operable to receive an audio input.For example, in an embodiment, the operator-guided vehicle navigationcontroller 156 includes an audio input mapping module having circuitryoperable to correlate the audio input to at least one navigation controlcommand for controlling at least one of propulsion, braking, andsteering of the transport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes aplurality of wheels 112, each wheel having an electric wheel hub motor114 such that, during operation. In an embodiment, the operator-guidedvehicle navigation controller 156 varies an applied current to eachelectric wheel hub motor 114 based on an audio input.

In an embodiment, the audio-activated control module 312 is operable toreceive one or more voice command inputs from an operator and toidentify one or more potential matching symbols for the one or morevoice commands. In an embodiment, the one or more potential matchingsymbols including at least one navigation control command forcontrolling at least one of propulsion, braking, and steering of thetransport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the audio-activatedcontrol module 312 includes a voice-command recognition device 316including one or more transducers operable to detect anoperator-specific input and to generate transport route based on theoperator-specific input. In an embodiment, the audio-activated controlmodule 312 includes a speech recognition device 318 configured tocorrelate speech input to at least one navigation control command forcontrolling at least one of propulsion, braking, and steering of thetransport and support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the audio-activatedcontrol module 312 includes a speech recognition device 318 configuredto correlate speech input to one or more navigation control commands forcontrolling a steering angle of at least one of the plurality ofrotatable members 110.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoperator-guided vehicle navigation controller 156 including anaudio-activated control module 312 having one or more transducersoperable to receive an audio input, and an audio input mapping moduleincluding circuitry operable to correlate the audio input to at leastone navigation control command for controlling at least one ofpropulsion, braking, and steering of the transport and support vehicle102. In an embodiment, the audio-activated control module 312 includesone or more modules having circuitry operable to receive one or morevoice command inputs from an operator and to generate one or morepotential matching symbols for the one or more voice commands. In anembodiment, the one or more potential matching symbols including atleast one navigation control command for controlling at least one ofpropulsion, braking, and steering of the transport and support vehicle102.

In an embodiment, the audio-activated control module 312 includes avoice-command recognition device 316 including one or more transducersoperable to acquire an operator-specific input. In an embodiment, theaudio-activated control module 312 is configured to generate transportroute based on the operator-specific input. In an embodiment, theaudio-activated control module 312 includes a speech recognition device318 configured to correlate speech input to at least one navigationcontrol command for controlling at least one of propulsion, braking, andsteering of the transport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoperator-guide verification and navigation controller 156 including oneor more sensors operable to acquire at least one digital image of anoperator within an operator-guide zone 142. In an embodiment, theoperator-guide verification and navigation controller 156 includes oneor more modules having circuitry operable to map one or more physicalmovements of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142 and imagedin the at least one digital image to at least one input correlated withone or more navigation control commands for controlling the transportand support vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the operator-guideverification and navigation controller 156 is configured to navigate thetransport and support vehicle 102 to at least a first locationresponsive to the one or more navigation control commands.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anoperator-authorization device 130 including one or more sensors thatdetect one or more physical movements of the operator within theoperator-guide zone 142. In an embodiment, the transport and supportvehicle 102 includes a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle navigationcontroller 156 having a computing device and memory to provide a controlsignal to map the one or more physical movements of the operator withinthe operator-guide zone 142 to at least one input correlated with one ormore navigation control commands for controlling the transport andsupport vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle102 includes a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle navigationcontroller 156 having a computing device and memory to provide a controlsignal to navigate a transport and support vehicle 102 based on the oneor more navigation control commands.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes areal-time object recognition device configured to identify groups ofpixels indicative of one or more physical movements associated with anoperator within an operator-guide zone 142 imaged in the at least onedigital image. For example, in an embodiment, the transport and supportvehicle 102 includes a real-time object recognition device including oneor more modules having circuitry configured to identify groups of pixelsindicative of one or more physical movements associated with an operatorwithin an operator-guide zone 142 imaged in the at least one digitalimage. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includesa real-time object recognition device configured to generate one or moreconnected components of a graph representative of groups of pixelsindicative of the one or more physical movements associated with theoperator imaged in the at least one digital image. In an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 includes a real-time objectrecognition device configured to correlate the one or more connectedcomponents of the graph to at least one input associated with one ormore navigation control commands for controlling the transport andsupport vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes aself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 having aroute-to-destination control module including circuitry operable togenerate route-to-destination information based on one or more patientverification inputs. In an embodiment, the self-guided-vehiclenavigation controller 156 includes a travel-route status acquisitioncircuit operable to acquire real-time travel-route status information.In an embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156includes an alternate route-to-destination generation circuit operableto generate route-to-destination information responsive to thetravel-route status information indicative of an adverse conditionpresent along the travel route. In an embodiment, theself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 includes an opticalguidance system configured to determine the first position of atransport and support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156includes circuitry operable to generate one or more control commands fornavigating the transport and support vehicle 102 along a multi-floortravel route. In an embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigationcontroller 156 is operably coupled to at least one of the plurality ofrotatable members 110, the power source 116, and the motor 118, andconfigured to generate one or more control commands for navigating thetransport and support vehicle 102 to at least a first target locationalong a travel route based on a patient verification input. In anembodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 isoperably coupled to at least one of the plurality of rotatable members110, the power source 116, and the motor 118, and configured to generateone or more control commands for navigating the transport and supportvehicle 102 to at least a first target location along a travel routebased on one or more inputs indicative of a change in health status of apatient being transported.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore memory device structures having travel route information or objectalong travel route information stored thereon. In an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 includes one or more memories havingreference travel route information stored thereon. In an embodiment, theself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 includes a communicationinterface 131 configured to request real-time path traffic statusinformation and to update the route-to-destination information based onthe response to the request real-time path traffic status information.In an embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to generate one or more control commands for controlling oneor more of propulsion, braking, or steering responsive to an input fromone or more sensors operably coupled to the self-guided-vehiclenavigation controller 156 and configured to detect a location of aremote object along a travel route.

In an embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to generate one or more control commands for navigating thetransport and support vehicle 102 to at least a first target locationalong a travel route based on the route-to-destination information. Forexample, in an embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller156 is operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of rotatablemembers 110, the power source 116, and the motor 118 and is configuredto generate one or more control commands for navigating the transportand support vehicle 102 to at least a first target location along atravel route based on the route-to-destination information.

In an embodiment, the route-to-destination control module includes apatient-in-route circuit configured to acquire travel-route statusinformation, the travel-route status information to be acquiredincluding one or more of travel-route traffic information, travel-routeobstacle location information, travel-route map information, ortravel-route geographical location information, and to generate updatedroute-to-destination information responsive to the travel-route statusinformation. In an embodiment, the route-to-destination control moduleincludes a patient-in-route circuit configured to report transport andsupport vehicle 102 location information along one or more targettravel-route locations. In an embodiment, the route-to-destinationcontrol module includes a patient-in-route circuit configured to reportself-guided patient-support and transport location arrival information.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anavigation module having one or more sensors 150 to determine aposition, velocity, or acceleration of the transport and support vehicle102. In an embodiment, the inertial navigation module configured togenerate transport and support vehicle 102 status information responsiveto changes to the position, velocity, or acceleration of the transportand support vehicle 102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes anavigation module including one or more sensors 150 to determine abearing, a direction, a rate-of-change of bearing, or a rate-of-changeof direction of the self-guided patient-support vehicle. In anembodiment, the inertial navigation module configured to generatetransport and support vehicle 102 status information responsive to achange to the bearing, the direction, the rate-of-change of bearing, orthe rate-of-change of direction of the transport and support vehicle102.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes avoice-command recognition device 316 operably coupled to theself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 and having one or moreaudio sensors operable to recognize an audio input. In an embodiment,the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 is configured togenerate one or more control commands based on the audio input.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes avoice-command recognition device 316 including one or more audio sensorsoperable to recognize an operator-specific audio input and to enable anautomatic controlled state, a manual controlled state, anoperator-guided state, or remote controlled state of theself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 based on the audio input.In an embodiment, the voice-command recognition device 316 configured toenable an automatic controlled state, a manual controlled state, anoperator-guided state, or remote controlled state of theself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 based on the audio input

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore weight sensors or moments of inertia sensor, such that, duringoperation, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to determine weight information or a moment of inertiainformation, and one or more control commands for navigating thetransport and support vehicle 102 to a second position along a travelroute based on at least one of the weight information and the moment ofinertia information.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore sensors 150 configured to detect one or more travel path markingsalong a travel path and to generate travel path markings information. Inan embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to generate route-to-destination information based on one ormore target location inputs and the travel path makings information. Inan embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore sensors 150 configured to detect one or more travel path markingsalong a travel path and to generate travel path makings information, theself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 configured to generateregistration information for real-time registering of the transport andsupport vehicle 102 relative to the one or more travel path markings. Inan embodiment, the self-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156configured to register the transport and support vehicle 102 relative tothe one or more travel path markings.

In an embodiment, a self-guided patient-support and transport system,includes one or more transport and support vehicle 102, each transportand support vehicle 102 including a self-guided-vehicle navigationcontroller 156 configured to determine a position, velocity,acceleration, bearing, direction, or a rate-of-change of bearing, orrate-of-change of direction of the transport and support vehicle 102 andgenerate transport and support vehicle 102 status information. In anembodiment, a self-guided patient-support and transport system includesone or more transport and support vehicle 102, each transport andsupport vehicle 102 including a self-guided-vehicle navigationcontroller 156 configured to generate route-to-destination informationbased on one or more target location inputs and the transport andsupport vehicle 102 status information. In an embodiment, a self-guidedpatient-support and transport system, includes one or more transport andsupport vehicle 102, each transport and support vehicle 102 including aself-guided-vehicle navigation controller 156 configured to generate oneor more control commands for automatically navigating the transport andsupport vehicle 102 to a second position along a travel route based onthe route-to-destination information.

In an embodiment, a remotely guided, omnidirectional, transport andsupport vehicle 102 includes a vehicle navigation controller 156including a communication module having at least one of a receiver 132,transmitter 134, and transceiver 136 operable to communicate with aremote navigation network and to receive control command information(e.g., route-to-destination information, navigation information,location based control commands, etc.) from the remote navigationnetwork. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156includes a route-status module including circuitry operable to provideone or more of travel route image information, patient-support vehiclegeographic location information, patient-support vehicle traveldirection information, patient-support vehicle travel velocityinformation, patient-support vehicle propulsion information, orpatient-support vehicle braking information.

In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 is operablycoupled to at least one of a body structure, a plurality of rotatablemembers 110, a steering assembly 126, a power source 116, and a motor118. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to generate one or more control commands for navigating aremotely guided, self-propelled, transport and support vehicle 102 to atleast a first patient destination along a patient travel route based onthe control command information from the remote navigation network. Forexample, in an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156includes a patient destination module for generating one or more controlcommands for navigating a remotely guided, self-propelled, transport andsupport vehicle 102 to at least a first patient destination along apatient travel route based on the control command information from theremote navigation network.

In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 is configured tonavigate to a target patient destination satisfying a thresholdcriterion responsive to receipt of the control command informationresponsive to control command information received from the remotenavigation network. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller156 is configured to navigate to a target patient destination responsiveto control command information received from the remote navigationnetwork. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 isconfigured to switch from an automatic controlled state, a manualcontrolled state, an operator-guided state, or a remote controlled stateto a different one of the automatic controlled state, the manualcontrolled state, or the remote controlled state, responsive to controlcommand information received from the remote navigation network.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one ormore travel route sensors 150 operably coupled to the vehicle navigationcontroller 156. In an embodiment, the one or more travel route sensors150 are configured to detect a travel distance of at least one travelincrement along the patient travel route. In an embodiment, the vehiclenavigation controller 156 is configured to determine one or more of atotal travel distance, a travel direction, or a travel velocity based onthe travel distance of the at least one travel increment along thepatient travel route. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigationcontroller 156 is configured to generate one or more control commandsfor varying one or more of propulsion, braking, or steering to directthe transport and support vehicle 102 along the target patient travelroute based on the travel distance of the at least one travel incrementalong the patient travel route.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes aspeech recognition module that causes the vehicle navigation controller156 to execute one or more control commands for navigating a remotelyguided, self-propelled, transport and support vehicle 102 to asubsequent travel position along a patient travel route responsive to aninput from the speech recognition module. In an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 includes a speech recognition modulethat causes the vehicle navigation controller 156 to execute one or morecontrol commands for toggling between two or more control states. In anembodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes one or moretravel route sensors 150 that generate at least one measurand indicativeof movement of a remotely guided, self-propelled, transport and supportvehicle 102 to a surface region traversed by a remotely guided,self-propelled, transport and support vehicle 102 and generate vehicledisplacement information based on the at least one measurand indicativeof movement. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102includes at least one traction wheel for propelling a remotely guided,self-propelled, transport and support vehicle 102 along a travel route.

In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 includes one ormore system sub-controllers. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigationcontroller 156 is operably coupled to one or more of propulsioncontrollers, braking controllers, or steering controllers. In anembodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 includes one or moreof propulsion controllers, braking controllers, or steering controllers.In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 is operablycoupled to one or more of a propulsion system, a brake system, or asteering system of a remotely guided, self-propelled, transport andsupport vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller156 is operably coupled to one or more of a propulsion system, a brakesystem, or a steering system of a remotely guided, self-propelled,transport and support vehicle 102 and is operable to switch the state ofat least one of the propulsion system, the brake system, and thesteering system from an automatic controlled state, a manual controlledstate, an operator-guided state, or a remote controlled state, to adifferent one of the automatic controlled state, the manual controlledstate, or the remote controlled state.

In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 is operable toconnect to a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), anenterprise-wide computer network, an enterprise-wide intranet, or theInternet. In an embodiment, a remotely guided, transport and supportvehicle 102 includes a body structure having a transport assembly havinga steering assembly 126 and a power train. In an embodiment, thetransport and support vehicle 102 includes a vehicle navigationcontroller 156 including a communication interface 131 having at leastone of a receiver 132, transmitter 134, and transceiver 136 operable tocommunicate with a remote navigation network and to receive travel-routeinformation and at least one of propulsion control command information,braking command information, or steering command information from theremote navigation network so as to reach a patient destination along apatient travel route. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigationcontroller 156 is operably coupled to at least one of transportassembly, steering assembly 126, and power train, and configured togenerate at least one navigation control command for controlling atleast one of propulsion, braking, and steering of a remotely guided,self-propelled, transport and support vehicle 102 based on thepropulsion control command information, the braking command information,or the steering command information from the remote navigation network.

In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller 156 is configured togenerate one or more control commands for navigating a remotely guided,self-propelled, transport and support vehicle 102 to at least a firstpatient travel position responsive to the travel-route information andthe at least one of propulsion control command information, brakingcommand information, and steering command information from the remotenavigation network. In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle102 includes one or more travel route sensors 150 that monitor adistance traveled by a remotely guided, self-propelled, transport andsupport vehicle 102. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller156 is configured to generate a plurality of target travel incrementscorresponding to a patient travel route to a patient destination.

In an embodiment, the transport and support vehicle 102 includes aself-propelled patient-support status reporter device including one ormore transceivers or transmitters that generate an output indicative ofan authorization to operate the self-propelled patient-support andtransport vehicle. In an embodiment, the vehicle navigation controller156 is configured to execute one or more navigation control commands forcontrolling one or more of propulsion, braking, or steering to directthe transport and support vehicle 102 along the patient travel routeresponsive to the travel-route information and the at least one ofpropulsion control command information, braking command information, andsteering command information from the remote navigation network.

Referring to FIG. 4, in an embodiment, an article of manufacture 402includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or moreinstructions for detecting an operator-guide identification device 146associated with operator-guide. In an embodiment, an article ofmanufacture 402 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearingone or more instructions for acquiring operator-guide verificationinformation from the operator-guide identification device 146. In anembodiment, the operator-authorization device 130 to be acquiredincluding information indicative of at least one of an operator-guideauthorization status, an operator-guide identity, and an operator-guidereference guidance information. In an embodiment, an article ofmanufacture 402 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearingone or more instructions for generating one or more control commands formaintaining a self-propelled operator-guided vehicle at targetseparation from the operator-guide identification device 146. In anembodiment, an article of manufacture 402 includes a non-transitorysignal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructions for detecting alocation of the operator-guide identification device 146 associated withthe operator-guide.

In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 402 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor generating one or more control commands for maintaining theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle at a target separation from theoperator-guide identification device 146 responsive to a change oflocation of the operator-guide identification device 146 relative to theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle. In an embodiment, an article ofmanufacture 402 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearingone or more instructions for determining a location of theoperator-guide identification device 146 associated with theoperator-guide relative to the self-propelled operator-guided vehicle.In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 402 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor determining a velocity difference between the operator-guideidentification device 146 and the self-propelled operator-guidedvehicle. In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 402 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor controlling one or more of propulsion, braking, or steeringresponsive to detected velocity difference between the operator-guideidentification device 146 and the self-propelled operator-guidedvehicle.

Referring to FIG. 5, in an embodiment, an article of manufacture 502includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or moreinstructions for acquiring physical movement image information of anoperator within an operator-guide zone 142. In an embodiment, an articleof manufacture 502 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing mediumbearing one or more instructions for determining operator-guideverification information for the operator within the operator-guide zone142 based on the physical movement image information. In an embodiment,an article of manufacture 502 includes a non-transitory signal-bearingmedium bearing one or more instructions for mapping one or more physicalmovements of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142 to at leastone input correlated with one or more navigation control commands forcontrolling a self-propelled operator-guided bed.

In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 502 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor navigating the self-propelled operator-guided bed based on the oneor more navigation control commands. In an embodiment, an article ofmanufacture 502 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearingone or more instructions for generating a virtual representation of atleast one of a locality of the operator within the operator-guide zone142 and a locality the self-propelled operator-guided bed on a virtualdisplay 206. In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 502 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor generating a virtual representation of the one or more physicalmovements on a virtual display 206. In an embodiment, an article ofmanufacture 502 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearingone or more instructions for generating a virtual representation of theone or more navigation control commands on a virtual display 206.

In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 502 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor determining a travel route based on one or more detected physicalmovements of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142. In anembodiment, an article of manufacture 502 includes a non-transitorysignal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructions for determiningat least a first travel destination based on the one or more detectedphysical movements of the operator within the operator-guide zone 142.In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 502 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor registering a physical location of the operator within theoperator-guide zone 142 relative the self-propelled operator-guided bed,and generating registration information. In an embodiment, an article ofmanufacture 502 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearingone or more instructions for generating a virtual representation of atleast one of a locality of the operator within the operator-guide zone142 and a locality the self-propelled operator-guided bed within aphysical space on a virtual display 206 based on the registrationinformation. In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 502 includes anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or more instructionsfor controlling one or more of propulsion, braking, or steering of theself-propelled operator-guided bed based on the at least one input.

Referring to FIG. 6, in an embodiment, an article of manufacture 602includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or moreinstructions for determining a position, velocity, acceleration,bearing, direction, rate-of-change of bearing, rate-of-change ofdirection, etc., of a self-guided hospital bed. In an embodiment, anarticle of manufacture 602 includes a non-transitory signal-bearingmedium bearing one or more instructions for generating self-guidedhospital bed status information. In an embodiment, an article ofmanufacture 602 includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearingone or more instructions for generating route-to-destination informationbased on one or more target location inputs and the self-guided hospitalbed status information. In an embodiment, an article of manufacture 602includes a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing one or moreinstructions for generating one or more control commands for navigatingthe self-guided hospital bed to a second position along a travel routebased on the route-to-destination information. In an embodiment, anarticle of manufacture 602 includes a non-transitory signal-bearingmedium bearing one or more instructions for enabling at least one ofremote control, manual control, and automatic control of at least one ofa propulsion system, braking system, and steering system of theself-guided hospital bed based on the position, velocity, acceleration,bearing, direction, rate-of-change of bearing, or rate-of-change ofdirection of the self-guided hospital bed.

The claims, description, and drawings of this application may describeone or more of the instant technologies in operational/functionallanguage, for example as a set of operations to be performed by acomputer. Such operational/functional description in most instances canbe specifically-configured hardware (e.g., because a general purposecomputer in effect becomes a special purpose computer once it isprogrammed to perform particular functions pursuant to instructions fromprogram software).

Importantly, although the operational/functional descriptions describedherein are understandable by the human mind, they are not abstract ideasof the operations/functions divorced from computational implementationof those operations/functions. Rather, the operations/functionsrepresent a specification for the massively complex computationalmachines or other means. As discussed in detail below, theoperational/functional language must be read in its proper technologicalcontext, i.e., as concrete specifications for physical implementations.

The logical operations/functions described herein are a distillation ofmachine specifications or other physical mechanisms specified by theoperations/functions such that the otherwise inscrutable machinespecifications may be comprehensible to the human mind. The distillationalso allows one of skill in the art to adapt the operational/functionaldescription of the technology across many different specific vendors'hardware configurations or platforms, without being limited to specificvendors' hardware configurations or platforms.

Some of the present technical description (e.g., detailed description,drawings, claims, etc.) may be set forth in terms of logicaloperations/functions. As described in more detail in the followingparagraphs, these logical operations/functions are not representationsof abstract ideas, but rather representative of static or sequencedspecifications of various hardware elements. Differently stated, unlesscontext dictates otherwise, the logical operations/functions arerepresentative of static or sequenced specifications of various hardwareelements. This is true because tools available to implement technicaldisclosures set forth in operational/functional formats—tools in theform of a high-level programming language (e.g., C, java, visual basic),etc.), or tools in the form of Very high speed Hardware DescriptionLanguage (“VHDL,” which is a language that uses text to describe logiccircuits—)—are generators of static or sequenced specifications ofvarious hardware configurations. This fact is sometimes obscured by thebroad term “software,” but, as shown by the following explanation, whatis termed “software” is a shorthand for a massively complexinterchaining/specification of ordered-matter elements. The term“ordered-matter elements” may refer to physical components ofcomputation, such as assemblies of electronic logic gates, molecularcomputing logic constituents, quantum computing mechanisms, etc.

For example, a high-level programming language is a programming languagewith strong abstraction, e.g., multiple levels of abstraction, from thedetails of the sequential organizations, states, inputs, outputs, etc.,of the machines that a high-level programming language actuallyspecifies. See, e.g., Wikipedia, High-level programming language,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-level_programming_language (as of Jun.5, 2012, 21:00 GMT). In order to facilitate human comprehension, in manyinstances, high-level programming languages resemble or even sharesymbols with natural languages. See, e.g., Wikipedia, Natural language,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_language (as of Jun. 5, 2012, 21:00GMT).

It has been argued that because high-level programming languages usestrong abstraction (e.g., that they may resemble or share symbols withnatural languages), they are therefore a “purely mental construct.”(e.g., that “software”—a computer program or computer—programming—issomehow an ineffable mental construct, because at a high level ofabstraction, it can be conceived and understood in the human mind). Thisargument has been used to characterize technical description in the formof functions/operations as somehow “abstract ideas.” In fact, intechnological arts (e.g., the information and communicationtechnologies) this is not true.

The fact that high-level programming languages use strong abstraction tofacilitate human understanding should not be taken as an indication thatwhat is expressed is an abstract idea. In an embodiment, if a high-levelprogramming language is the tool used to implement a technicaldisclosure in the form of functions/operations, it can be understoodthat, far from being abstract, imprecise, “fuzzy,” or “mental” in anysignificant semantic sense, such a tool is instead a nearincomprehensibly precise sequential specification of specificcomputational—machines—the parts of which are built up byactivating/selecting such parts from typically more generalcomputational machines over time (e.g., clocked time). This fact issometimes obscured by the superficial similarities between high-levelprogramming languages and natural languages. These superficialsimilarities also may cause a glossing over of the fact that high-levelprogramming language implementations ultimately perform valuable work bycreating/controlling many different computational machines.

The many different computational machines that a high-level programminglanguage specifies are almost unimaginably complex. At base, thehardware used in the computational machines typically consists of sometype of ordered matter (e.g., traditional electronic devices (e.g.,transistors), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), quantum devices, mechanicalswitches, optics, fluidics, pneumatics, optical devices (e.g., opticalinterference devices), molecules, etc.) that are arranged to form logicgates. Logic gates are typically physical devices that may beelectrically, mechanically, chemically, or otherwise driven to changephysical state in order to create a physical reality of Boolean logic.

Logic gates may be arranged to form logic circuits, which are typicallyphysical devices that may be electrically, mechanically, chemically, orotherwise driven to create a physical reality of certain logicalfunctions. Types of logic circuits include such devices as multiplexers,registers, arithmetic logic units (ALUs), computer memory devices, etc.,each type of which may be combined to form yet other types of physicaldevices, such as a central processing unit (CPU)—the best known of whichis the microprocessor. A modern microprocessor will often contain morethan one hundred million logic gates in its many logic circuits (andoften more than a billion transistors). See, e.g., Wikipedia, Logicgates, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic_gates (as of Jun. 5, 2012,21:03 GMT). The logic circuits forming the microprocessor are arrangedto provide a microarchitecture that will carry out the instructionsdefined by that microprocessor's defined Instruction Set Architecture.The Instruction Set Architecture is the part of the microprocessorarchitecture related to programming, including the native data types,instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture,interrupt and exception handling, and external Input/Output. See, e.g.,Wikipedia, Computer architecture,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_architecture (as of Jun. 5, 2012,21:03 GMT).

The Instruction Set Architecture includes a specification of the machinelanguage that can be used by programmers to use/control themicroprocessor. Since the machine language instructions are such thatthey may be executed directly by the microprocessor, typically theyconsist of strings of binary digits, or bits. For example, a typicalmachine language instruction might be many bits long (e.g., 32, 64, or128 bit strings are currently common). A typical machine languageinstruction might take the form “11110000101011110000111100111111” (a 32bit instruction).

It is significant here that, although the machine language instructionsare written as sequences of binary digits, in actuality those binarydigits specify physical reality. For example, if certain semiconductorsare used to make the operations of Boolean logic a physical reality, theapparently mathematical bits “1” and “0” in a machine languageinstruction actually constitute a shorthand that specifies theapplication of specific voltages to specific wires. For example, in somesemiconductor technologies, the binary number “1” (e.g., logical “1”) ina machine language instruction specifies around +5 volts applied to aspecific “wire” (e.g., metallic traces on a printed circuit board) andthe binary number “0” (e.g., logical “0”) in a machine languageinstruction specifies around −5 volts applied to a specific “wire.” Inaddition to specifying voltages of the machines' configuration, suchmachine language instructions also select out and activate specificgroupings of logic gates from the millions of logic gates of the moregeneral machine. Thus, far from abstract mathematical expressions,machine language instruction programs, even though written as a stringof zeros and ones, specify many, many constructed physical machines orphysical machine states.

Machine language is typically incomprehensible by most humans (e.g., theabove example was just ONE instruction, and some personal computersexecute more than two billion instructions every second). See, e.g.,Wikipedia, Instructions per second,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_per_second (as of Jun. 5,2012, 21:04 GMT).

Thus, programs written in machine language—which may be tens of millionsof machine language instructions long—are incomprehensible. In view ofthis, early assembly languages were developed that used mnemonic codesto refer to machine language instructions, rather than using the machinelanguage instructions' numeric values directly (e.g., for performing amultiplication operation, programmers coded the abbreviation “mult,”which represents the binary number “011000” in MIPS machine code). Whileassembly languages were initially a great aid to humans controlling themicroprocessors to perform work, in time the complexity of the work thatneeded to be done by the humans outstripped the ability of humans tocontrol the microprocessors using merely assembly languages.

At this point, it was noted that the same tasks needed to be done overand over, and the machine language necessary to do those repetitivetasks was the same. In view of this, compilers were created. A compileris a device that takes a statement that is more comprehensible to ahuman than either machine or assembly language, such as “add 2+2 andoutput the result,” and translates that human understandable statementinto a complicated, tedious, and immense machine language code (e.g.,millions of 32, 64, or 128 bit length strings). Compilers thus translatehigh-level programming language into machine language.

This compiled machine language, as described above, is then used as thetechnical specification which sequentially constructs and causes theinteroperation of many different computational machines such thathumanly useful, tangible, and concrete work is done. For example, asindicated above, such machine language—the compiled version of thehigher-level language—functions as a technical specification whichselects out hardware logic gates, specifies voltage levels, voltagetransition timings, etc., such that the humanly useful work isaccomplished by the hardware.

Thus, a functional/operational technical description, when viewed by oneof skill in the art, is far from an abstract idea. Rather, such afunctional/operational technical description, when understood throughthe tools available in the art such as those just described, is insteadunderstood to be a humanly understandable representation of a hardwarespecification, the complexity and specificity of which far exceeds thecomprehension of most any one human. Accordingly, any suchoperational/functional technical descriptions may be understood asoperations made into physical reality by (a) one or more interchainedphysical machines, (b) interchained logic gates configured to create oneor more physical machine(s) representative of sequential/combinatoriallogic(s), (c) interchained ordered matter making up logic gates (e.g.,interchained electronic devices (e.g., transistors), DNA, quantumdevices, mechanical switches, optics, fluidics, pneumatics, molecules,etc.) that create physical reality representative of logic(s), or (d)virtually any combination of the foregoing. Indeed, any physical objectwhich has a stable, measurable, and changeable state may be used toconstruct a machine based on the above technical description. CharlesBabbage, for example, constructed the first computer out of wood andpowered by cranking a handle.

Thus, far from being understood as an abstract idea, it can berecognizes that a functional/operational technical description as ahumanly-understandable representation of one or more almost unimaginablycomplex and time sequenced hardware instantiations. The fact thatfunctional/operational technical descriptions might lend themselvesreadily to high-level computing languages (or high-level block diagramsfor that matter) that share some words, structures, phrases, etc. withnatural language simply cannot be taken as an indication that suchfunctional/operational technical descriptions are abstract ideas, ormere expressions of abstract ideas. In fact, as outlined herein, in thetechnological arts this is simply not true. When viewed through thetools available to those of skill in the art, suchfunctional/operational technical descriptions are seen as specifyinghardware configurations of almost unimaginable complexity.

As outlined above, the reason for the use of functional/operationaltechnical descriptions is at least twofold. First, the use offunctional/operational technical descriptions allows near-infinitelycomplex machines and machine operations arising from interchainedhardware elements to be described in a manner that the human mind canprocess (e.g., by mimicking natural language and logical narrativeflow). Second, the use of functional/operational technical descriptionsassists the person of skill in the art in understanding the describedsubject matter by providing a description that is more or lessindependent of any specific vendor's piece(s) of hardware.

The use of functional/operational technical descriptions assists theperson of skill in the art in understanding the described subject mattersince, as is evident from the above discussion, one could easily,although not quickly, transcribe the technical descriptions set forth inthis document as trillions of ones and zeroes, billions of single linesof assembly-level machine code, millions of logic gates, thousands ofgate arrays, or any number of intermediate levels of abstractions.However, if any such low-level technical descriptions were to replacethe present technical description, a person of skill in the art couldencounter undue difficulty in implementing the disclosure, because sucha low-level technical description would likely add complexity without acorresponding benefit (e.g., by describing the subject matter utilizingthe conventions of one or more vendor-specific pieces of hardware).Thus, the use of functional/operational technical descriptions assiststhose of skill in the art by separating the technical descriptions fromthe conventions of any vendor-specific piece of hardware.

In view of the foregoing, the logical operations/functions set forth inthe present technical description are representative of static orsequenced specifications of various ordered-matter elements, in orderthat such specifications may be comprehensible to the human mind andadaptable to create many various hardware configurations. The logicaloperations/functions disclosed herein should be treated as such, andshould not be disparagingly characterized as abstract ideas merelybecause the specifications they represent are presented in a manner thatone of skill in the art can readily understand and apply in a mannerindependent of a specific vendor's hardware implementation.

At least a portion of the devices or processes described herein can beintegrated into an information processing system. An informationprocessing system generally includes one or more of a system unithousing, a video display device, memory, such as volatile ornon-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors or digitalsignal processors, computational entities such as operating systems,drivers, graphical user interfaces, and applications programs, one ormore interaction devices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna,etc.), or control systems including feedback loops and control motors(e.g., feedback for detecting position or velocity, control motors formoving or adjusting components or quantities). An information processingsystem can be implemented utilizing suitable commercially availablecomponents, such as those typically found in datacomputing/communication or network computing/communication systems.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the arthas progressed to the point where there is little distinction leftbetween hardware and software implementations of aspects of systems; theuse of hardware or software is generally (but not always, in that incertain contexts the choice between hardware and software can becomesignificant) a design choice representing cost vs. efficiency tradeoffs.Those having skill in the art will appreciate that there are variousvehicles by which processes or systems or other technologies describedherein can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, firmware, etc., in oneor more machines or articles of manufacture), and that the preferredvehicle will vary with the context in which the processes, systems,other technologies, etc., are deployed. For example, if an implementerdetermines that speed and accuracy are paramount, the implementer mayopt for a mainly hardware or firmware vehicle; alternatively, ifflexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly softwareimplementation that is implemented in one or more machines or articlesof manufacture; or, yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt forsome combination of hardware, software, firmware, etc. in one or moremachines or articles of manufacture. Hence, there are several possiblevehicles by which the processes, devices, other technologies, etc.,described herein may be effected, none of which is inherently superiorto the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is a choice dependentupon the context in which the vehicle will be deployed and the specificconcerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability) of theimplementer, any of which may vary. In an embodiment, optical aspects ofimplementations will typically employ optically-oriented hardware,software, firmware, etc., in one or more machines or articles ofmanufacture.

The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates differentcomponents contained within, or connected with, different othercomponents. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures aremerely examples, and that in fact, many other architectures can beimplemented that achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense,any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality iseffectively “associated” such that the desired functionality isachieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve aparticular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each othersuch that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective ofarchitectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components soassociated can also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or“operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality,and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewedas being “operably coupleable,” to each other to achieve the desiredfunctionality. Specific examples of operably coupleable include, but arenot limited to, physically mateable, physically interacting components,wirelessly interactable, wirelessly interacting components, logicallyinteracting, logically interactable components, etc.

In an embodiment, one or more components may be referred to herein as“configured to,” “configurable to,” “operable/operative to,”“adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,” etc. Suchterms (e.g., “configured to”) can generally encompass active-statecomponents, or inactive-state components, or standby-state components,unless context requires otherwise.

The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments ofthe devices or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, orexamples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examplescontain one or more functions or operations, it will be understood bythe reader that each function or operation within such block diagrams,flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually orcollectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware in one ormore machines or articles of manufacture, or virtually any combinationthereof. Further, the use of “Start,” “End,” or “Stop” blocks in theblock diagrams is not intended to indicate a limitation on the beginningor end of any functions in the diagram. Such flowcharts or diagrams maybe incorporated into other flowcharts or diagrams where additionalfunctions are performed before or after the functions shown in thediagrams of this application. In an embodiment, several portions of thesubject matter described herein is implemented via Application SpecificIntegrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs),digital signal processors (DSPs), or other integrated formats. However,some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part,can be equivalently implemented in integrated circuits, as one or morecomputer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or moreprograms running on one or more computer systems), as one or moreprograms running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or moreprograms running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or asvirtually any combination thereof, and that designing the circuitry orwriting the code for the software and or firmware would be well withinthe skill of one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. Inaddition, the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein arecapable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms,and that an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter describedherein applies regardless of the particular type of signal-bearingmedium used to actually carry out the distribution. Non-limitingexamples of a signal-bearing medium include the following: a recordabletype medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc(CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory,etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital or an analogcommunication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wiredcommunications link, a wireless communication link (e.g., transmitter,receiver, transmission logic, reception logic, etc.), etc.).

While particular aspects of the present subject matter described hereinhave been shown and described, it will be apparent to the reader that,based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the subject matter described herein and itsbroader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompasswithin their scope all such changes and modifications as are within thetrue spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Ingeneral, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g.,bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms(e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but notlimited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having atleast,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but isnot limited to,” etc.). Further, if a specific number of an introducedclaim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recitedin the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent ispresent. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appendedclaims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and“one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of suchphrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of aclaim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits anyparticular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to claimscontaining only one such recitation, even when the same claim includesthe introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinitearticles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically beinterpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holdstrue for the use of definite articles used to introduce claimrecitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introducedclaim recitation is explicitly recited, such recitation should typicallybe interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the barerecitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typicallymeans at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “atleast one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a constructionis intended in the sense of the convention (e.g., “a system having atleast one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systemsthat have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together,B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instanceswhere a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” isused, in general such a construction is intended in the sense of theconvention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” wouldinclude but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, Calone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A,B, and C together, etc.). Typically a disjunctive word or phrasepresenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description,claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate thepossibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, orboth terms unless context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase “Aor B” will be typically understood to include the possibilities of “A”or “B” or “A and B.”

With respect to the appended claims, the operations recited thereingenerally may be performed in any order. Also, although variousoperational flows are presented in a sequence(s), it should beunderstood that the various operations may be performed in orders otherthan those that are illustrated, or may be performed concurrently.Examples of such alternate orderings includes overlapping, interleaved,interrupted, reordered, incremental, preparatory, supplemental,simultaneous, reverse, or other variant orderings, unless contextdictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms like “responsive to,” “relatedto,” or other past-tense adjectives are generally not intended toexclude such variants, unless context dictates otherwise.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, otheraspects and embodiments are contemplated. The various aspects andembodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and arenot intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit beingindicated by the following claims.

1.-49. (canceled)
 50. An article of manufacture, comprising: anon-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing: one or more instructionsfor detecting an authorization status associated with operator-guide;one or more instructions for acquiring operator-guide verificationinformation from an operator-guide identification device, theoperator-guide verification information to be acquired includinginformation indicative of at least one of an operator-guideauthorization status, an operator-guide identity, and an operator-guidereference guidance information; and one or more instructions forgenerating one or more control commands for maintaining a self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle at target separation from the operator-guideidentification device.
 51. The article of manufacture of claim 50,further comprising: a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing: oneor more instructions for detecting a location of the operator-guideidentification device associated with the operator-guide.
 52. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 50, further comprising: a non-transitorysignal-bearing medium bearing: one or more instructions for generatingone or more control commands for maintaining the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle at a target separation from the operator-guideidentification device responsive to a change of location of theoperator-guide identification device relative to the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle.
 53. The article of manufacture of claim 50,further comprising: a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing: oneor more instructions for determining a location of the operator-guideidentification device associated with the operator-guide relative to theself-propelled operator-guided vehicle.
 54. The article of manufactureof claim 50, further comprising: a non-transitory signal-bearing mediumbearing: one or more instructions for determining a velocity differencebetween the operator-guide identification device and the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle.
 55. The article of manufacture of claim 50,further comprising: a non-transitory signal-bearing medium bearing: oneor more instructions for controlling one or more of propulsion, braking,or steering responsive to detected velocity difference between theoperator-guide identification device and the self-propelledoperator-guided vehicle. 56.-189. (canceled)